Circuit component mounting system and circuit component mounting method

ABSTRACT

A system for mounting circuit components on a circuit substrate, including a circuit-substrate supporting device which supports the circuit substrate, a circuit-component mounting device which mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuit components on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substrate supporting device, and a circuit-substrate carry-out device which carries out the circuit substrate on which the circuit components have been mounted, the circuit-substrate carry-out device comprising a removing device which removes the circuit substrate from the circuit-substrate supporting device, and a parallel-direction carry-out device which receives the circuit substrate from the removing device and carries out the circuit substrate in a parallel direction substantially parallel to a plane of the circuit substrate, the circuit substrate being transferred from the circuit-substrate supporting device to the removing device in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the circuit substrate, and is transferred from the removing device to the parallel-direction carry-out device in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a system and a method formounting circuit components (“CCs”) on a circuit substrate (“CS”).

[0003] 2. Related Art Statement

[0004]FIG. 45 shows a known CC mounting system 900 including a CSsupporting device 912 which supports a CS 920, 921; a CC mounting device(not shown) which mounts, at a CC mounting position, CCs on the CS 920,921 supported by the CS supporting device 912; a CS carry-in device 914which carries in the CS 920, 921 and transfers the CS 920, 921 to the CSsupporting device 912; and a CS carry-out device 916 which receives,from the CS supporting device 912, the CS 920, 921 on which the CCs havebeen mounted, and carries out the CS 920, 921. The CS carry-in andcarry-out devices 914, 916 are provided along a CS carrying route onwhich the CS 920, 921 is carried, and the CC mounting device is providedat the CC mounting position offset from the CS carrying route. The CCsupporting device 912 includes a main holding device 918 which holds theCS 920, 921, and a main-holding-device moving device which moves themain holding device 918 horizontally and vertically. Thus, the CS 920,921 held by the main holding portion 918 is horizontally moved betweenthe CC mounting position where the CCs are mounted on the CS 920, 921 bythe CC mounting device and a CS transferring position where the CS 920,921 is transferred from the CS carry-in device 914 and to the CSsupporting device 912, and is transferred from the CS supporting device912 to the CS carry-out device 916, and where the CS 920, 921 isvertically moved between a movement height position where the CS 920,921 is moved for the CCs to be mounted thereon and a transferring heightposition where the CS 920, 921 is transferred between the CS supportingdevice 912 and the CS carry-in and carry-out devices 914, 916.

[0005] In the first step shown in FIG. 45, the CS 920 is carried in bythe CS carry-in device 914; and, in the second step, the CS 920 istransferred to, and held by, the main holding device 918 beingpositioned at the CS transferring position and the transferring heightposition, while the CS 920 is moved in a direction (i.e., horizontaldirection) substantially parallel to the plane of the CS 920. In thethird step, the main holding device 918 holding the CS 920 is lowered tothe movement height position and then is horizontally moved to the CCmounting position where the CCs are mounted on the CS 920. In the secondstep, the CS 921 on which the CCs have been mounted is transferred, atthe CS transferring position and the transferring height position, tothe CS carry-out device 916, while the CS 921 is moved in the horizontaldirection. Thus, the CS 920 is transferred from the CS carry-in device914 to the CS supporting device 912, while the CS 921 is concurrentlytransferred from the CS supporting device 912 to the CS carry-out device916. This CS transferring operation (i.e., the transferring of the CS920 onto the CS supporting device 912 and the transferring of the CS 921from the same 912) needs a long time of about 5 seconds, as illustratedin FIG. 46. In particular, it is difficult to accelerate thetransferring of the CS 921 from the CS supporting device 912 to the CScarry-out device 916. Meanwhile, if the acceleration and/or decelerationof movement of the CS 921 are/is increased to solve this problem, theCCs mounted on the CS 921 might move because the CCs have onlytemporarily been fixed to the CS 921 with solder paste or uncuredadhesive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide acircuit component mounting system which enjoys improved operationefficiency.

[0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide acircuit component mounting method which enjoys improved operationefficiency.

[0008] The present invention provides a circuit component mountingsystem and a circuit component mounting method which have one or more ofthe technical features which are described below in respectiveparagraphs given parenthesized sequential numbers (1) to (18). Anytechnical feature which includes another technical feature shall do soby referring, at the beginning, to the parenthesized sequential numbergiven to that technical feature. Thus, two or more of the followingtechnical features may be combined, if appropriate. Each technicalfeature may be accompanied by a supplemental explanation, as needed.

[0009] (1) According to a first feature of the present invention, thereis provided a system for mounting circuit components on a circuitsubstrate, comprising a circuit-substrate supporting device whichsupports the circuit substrate; a circuit-component mounting devicewhich mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuitcomponents on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substratesupporting device; and a circuit-substrate carry-out device whichcarries out the circuit substrate on which the circuit components havebeen mounted, the circuit-substrate carry-out device comprising aremoving device which removes the circuit substrate from thecircuit-substrate supporting device, and a parallel-direction carry-outdevice which receives the circuit substrate from the removing device andcarries out the circuit substrate in a parallel direction substantiallyparallel to a plane of the circuit substrate, wherein the circuitsubstrate is transferred from the circuit-substrate supporting device tothe removing device in a first direction substantially perpendicular tothe plane of the circuit substrate, and is transferred from the removingdevice to the parallel-direction carry-out device in a second directionopposite to the first direction. In the present circuit-componentmounting system, the CS (circuit substrate) which is supported by the CSsupporting device and on which the CCs (circuit components) have beenmounted is removed in the first direction by the removing device, andthe removed CS is transferred in the second direction to theparallel-direction carry-out device. The CS transferred to theparallel-direction carry-out device is carried out by being moved in theparallel direction. Thus, in the present system, the removing of the CSfrom the CS supporting device and the transferring of the CS to theparallel-direction carry-out device are performed in the first andsecond directions, respectively, each of which is perpendicular to theplane of the CS. In the case where the removing device comprises aholding device which holds the CS, the holding device is only requiredto be able to remove and transfer the CS in the first and seconddirections each perpendicular to the plane of the CS, and is notrequired to be able to remove the CS in the first direction and transferthe CS in the parallel direction. Accordingly, the holding device enjoysa simple construction, which leads to reducing the production cost ofthe present system. In the case where each of the CS supporting device,the removing device, and the parallel-direction carry-out devicecomprises a holding device which holds the CS, the respective holdingdevices of the CS supporting device and the removing device, or therespective holding devices of the removing device and theparallel-direction carry-out device are required to face each other in astate in which the CS can be transferred between the two holdingdevices. However, if in this state one of the two holding devices ismoved in the parallel direction, the other holding device may interferewith the parallel-direction movement of the one holding device.Accordingly, it is desirable that the two holding devices be separatedfrom each other before one of them is moved in the parallel direction.In other words, it is desirable that the CS be transferred between thetwo holding devices in the first or second direction, in a state inwhich the holding devices are nearer to each other than they are whenone of them is moved in the parallel direction. To this end, it ispossible that both of the two holding devices be moved in the first orsecond direction, or that one of them be fixed and the other be movablein the first or second direction.

[0010] (2) According to a second feature of the present invention whichincludes the first feature (1), the circuit-component mounting systemfurther comprises a parallel-direction carry-in device which carries inthe circuit substrate in the parallel direction; and a mounting devicewhich mounts, on the circuit-substrate supporting device, the circuitsubstrate carried in by the parallel-direction carry-in device, whereinthe circuit substrate is transferred from the parallel-directioncarry-in device to the mounting device in the first direction, and istransferred from the mounting device to the circuit-substrate supportingdevice in the second direction. In the present CC mounting system, thetransferring of the CS from the parallel-direction carry-out device tothe mounting device and the mounting of the CS by the mounting device onthe CS supporting device are performed in the first and seconddirections, respectively, each of which is perpendicular to the plane ofthe CS. In the case where the mounting device comprises a holding devicewhich holds the CS, the mounting device is only required to be able toreceive and mount the CS in the first and second directions eachperpendicular to the plane of the CS, and is not required to be able toreceive the CS in the parallel direction and mount the CS in the seconddirection. Accordingly, the holding device enjoys a simple construction.In the case where the CS supporting device comprises a main holdingdevice which holds the CS, the mounting device comprises a holdingdevice which holds the CS, and the main holding device is moved towardthe holding device of the mounting device when the CS is mounted by themounting device on the CS supporting device, it is possible to regard adevice which moves the main holding device, as an element of themounting device.

[0011] (3) According to a third feature of the present invention whichincludes the second feature (2), at least one of the removing device andthe mounting device comprises a holding device which holds the circuitsubstrate; and a holding-device moving device which moves the holdingdevice in the parallel direction. The transferring of the CS from the CSsupporting device to the removing device and the transferring of the CSfrom the removing device to the parallel-direction carry-out device maybe performed in the first and second directions, respectively, in such amanner that at a CS removing position, the CS on the CS supportingdevice is held by a holding device of the removing device and is removedin the first direction and, at a CS transferring position, the CS istransferred from the holding device to the parallel-direction carry-outdevice. In the case where the CS removing position and the CStransferring position are distant from each other in the paralleldirection, the holding-device moving device moves the holding device inthe parallel direction between the CS removing and transferringpositions. Similarly, the transferring of the CS from theparallel-direction carry-in device to the mounting device and thetransferring of the CS from the mounting device to the CS supportingdevice may be performed in the first and second directions,respectively, in such a manner that at a CS receiving position, the CSis transferred in the first direction from the parallel-directioncarry-in device to a holding device of the mounting device and, at a CSmounting position, the CS is mounted in the second direction from theholding device of the mounting device onto the CS supporting device. Inthe case where the CS receiving position and the CS mounting positionare distant from each other in the parallel direction, theholding-device moving device moves the holding device in the paralleldirection between the CS receiving and mounting positions.

[0012] (4) According to a fourth feature of the present invention whichincludes the third feature (3), the holding-device moving devicecomprises a speed control device which controls a speed of theparallel-direction movement of the holding device. The holding-devicemoving device moves the holding device which may, or may not, be holdingthe CS. It is preferred that when the holding device is holding the CS,the parallel-direction movement of the holding device be controlled at alow speed and, when the holding device is not holding the CS, theparallel-direction movement be controlled at a high speed.

[0013] (5) According to a fifth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the second to fourth features (2) to (4), at leastone of the removing device and the mounting device comprises a holdingdevice which comprises (a) at least one main member, (b) a first holdingmember and a second holding member which include respective holdingportions and which are supported by the at least one main member suchthat the first and second holding members are opposed to each other andat least one of the first and second holding members is movable relativeto the other holding member, and (c) a holding-member moving devicewhich moves the at least one of the first and second holding membersrelative to the other holding member such that the holding portion ofthe one holding member is moved toward, and away from, the other holdingmember in a movement direction in which the first and second holdingmembers are opposed to each other, and wherein the respective holdingportions of the first and second holding members have respectivecircuit-substrate supporting surfaces which are positioned away fromopposite end portions of the circuit substrate, respectively, in themovement direction, in a state in which the first and second holdingmembers are positioned away from each other, and are positioned belowthe opposite end portions of the circuit substrate, respectively, in astate in which the first and second holding members are positioned nearto each other. In the state in which the first and second holdingmembers are positioned near to each other, the respective CS supportingsurfaces thereof are positioned below the opposite end portions of theCS, respectively, so that those CS supporting surfaces cooperate witheach other to support a lower surface of the CS. Meanwhile, in the statein which the first and second holding members are positioned away fromeach other, the CS supporting surfaces are positioned away from theopposite end portions of the CS, respectively, in the movementdirection, so that those CS supporting surfaces cannot support the lowersurface of the CS. Thus, the holding device can receive and transfer theCS in the first and second directions, respectively, which areperpendicular to the plane of the CS, and is not required to be able toreceiver or transfer the CS in the parallel direction. Accordingly, thepresent holding device does not need any of a plurality of rotatablesupport members and a rotatable-support-member rotating device whichcooperate with each other to transfer a CS in the parallel direction.

[0014] (6) According to a sixth feature of the present invention whichincludes the fifth feature (5), the respective holding portions of thefirst and second holding members additionally have respectivecircuit-substrate positioning surfaces which cooperate with each otherto position the circuit substrate in the movement direction, bycontacting opposite side surfaces of the circuit substrate,respectively, in the state in which the first and second holding membersare positioned near to each other. Small spaces may be left between thetwo positioning surfaces and the corresponding side surfaces of the CS.In this case, too, the two positioning surfaces can substantiallyposition the CS by limiting the movement of the CS in the movementdirection. Thus, it is not essentially required that the two positioningsurfaces completely sandwich the CS. In the present system, the firstand second holding members can support the lower surface of the CS whilepositioning the CS in the movement direction.

[0015] (7) According to a seventh feature of the present invention whichincludes the fifth or sixth feature (5) or (6), the holding portion ofthe first holding member includes a plurality of first holding clawswhich are arranged in an array in a perpendicular directionperpendicular to the movement direction, and the holding portion of thesecond holding member includes a plurality of second holding claws whichare arranged in an array in the perpendicular direction. In the casewhere another or second holding device which receives the CS from, ortransfers the CS to, the present or first holding device, comprises twoholding members similar to the present first and second holding membershaving the first and second arrays of holding claws, the first andsecond holding devices may hold the CS such that the first holding clawsof the first holding device are alternate with those of the secondholding device on the CS and the second holding claws of the firstholding device are alternate with those of the second holding device onthe CS. In the last case, the CS can be transferred between the firstand second holding devices, while the two holding devices are preventedfrom interfering with each other.

[0016] (8) According to an eighth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the fifth to seventh features (5) to (7), the firstand second holding members comprise respective pivotable holding memberswhich are supported by the at least one main member such that each ofthe pivotable holding members is pivotable about an axis line parallelto the plane of the circuit substrate. In this case, the pivotableholding members can be supported by the at least one main member, usinga simple mechanism. The present holding device can be said as apivot-type holding device.

[0017] (9) According to a ninth feature of the present invention whichincludes the eighth feature (8), the holding device further comprises atleast one pivoting device which pivots the pivotable holding members toa holding position thereof where the pivotable holding members cooperatewith each other to hold the circuit substrate and to a releasingposition thereof where the pivotable holding members release the circuitsubstrate, and wherein the at least one pivoting device comprises (a) atleast one fluid-operated cylinder device which includes a housing and apiston axially movable relative to the housing, and (b) at least onemotion converting device which converts the axial movement of the pistoninto rotation and transmits the rotation to each of the pivotableholding members. In the present CC mounting system, the axial movementof the piston of the at least one fluid-operated cylinder device isconverted, by the at least one motion converting device, into rotation,which is transmitted to each of the pivotable holding members. Thepivotal movement of the pivotable holding members switches the holdingdevice between its holding state and its releasing state. Each motionconverting device may comprise a cam mechanism including a cam and a camfollower. For example, a semi-circular member and a stick-like memberare employed as the cam and the cam follower, respectively. A tip end ofthe stick-like member has a semi-cylindrical or semi-spherical surface,or supports a rotatable roller or ball, which engages an outercircumferential surface of the semi-circular member. A portion of thesemi-circular member which corresponds to the center of the semi-circleis attached to each of the pivotable holding members such that thesemi-circular member is not rotatable relative to the each holdingmember. When the piston is moved, the stick-like member is axiallymoved, so that the semi-circular member is pivoted and accordingly theeach holding member is pivoted. Thus, the stick-like member as the camfollower functions as a driver, and the semi-circular member as the camfunctions as a follower. However, the motion converting device may beprovided by a mechanism other than the cam mechanism, such as a linkmechanism. The at least one pivoting device may be provided on eitherthe at least one main member of the holding device, or at least one mainmember of the removing device or the mounting device, or otherwise maybe divided into a plurality of portions one of which is provided on theat least one main member of the holding device and the other or anotherof which is provided on the at least one main member of the removingdevice or the mounting device. For example, the at least onefluid-operated cylinder device is provided on the at least one mainmember of the removing device or the mounting device, and at least aportion of the at least one motion converting device is provided on theat least one main member of the holding device. In the case where theholding device is moved in the parallel direction by the holding-devicemoving device according to the third feature (3), a portion of the atleast one pivoting device which is provided on the at least one mainmember of the holding device is moved with the holding device in theparallel direction. If the entirety of the pivoting device is providedon the main member of the holding device, the entirety of the pivotingdevice is moved with the holding device in the parallel direction.Meanwhile, if a portion, or the entirety of, the pivoting device isprovided on the main member of the removing or mounting device, thatportion or the entirety of the pivoting device is not moved with theholding device. For example, in the case where the at least onefluid-operated cylinder device is provided on the at least one mainmember of the removing or mounting device, and at least a portion of theat least one motion converting device is provided on the at least onemain member of the holding device, only that portion, or the entiretyof, the motion converting device is moved with the holding device. Inthis case, the at least one fluid-operated cylinder device may consistof a single fluid-operated cylinder device- which actuates the at leastone motion converting device wherever the at least one main member ofthe holding device may be positioned, or may comprise a plurality offluid-operated cylinder devices which are provided at a plurality ofpositions (operative positions), respectively, to which the main memberof the holding device is moved. In the case where the entirety of thepivoting device is provided on the main member of the holding device,the present system enjoys a simplified construction, though the masswhich is moved with the holding device is increased. In the case wherethe entirety of the pivoting device is provided on the main member ofthe removing or mounting device, the present system can reduce the masswhich is moved with the holding device, though the construction thereofis complicated because, for example, the cam of the motion convertingdevice is required to be able to engage and disengage from eachpivotable holding member of the holding device, while permitting theparallel-direction movement of the holding device. And, in the casewhere the pivoting device is divided into a plurality of portions one ofwhich is provided on the main member of the holding device and the otherof which is provided on the main member of the removing or mountingdevice, for example, a plurality of fluid-operated cylinder devices areprovided on the main member of the removing or mounting device, and theat least one motion converting device including the above-described cammechanism is provided on the at least one main member of the holdingdevice. In the last case, though the holding device is movable in theparallel direction, the holding device can be easily switched betweenits CS holding and releasing states, by positioning the cam mechanismrelative to each of the cylinder devices such that a piston rod of theeach cylinder device is opposed to the stick-like member of the cammechanism, so that when the piston rod is axially moved, the stick-likemember is also axially moved. Thus, the construction of the presentsystem is not complicated so much, and the mass which is moved with theholding device is not increased so much.

[0018] (10) According to a tenth feature of the present invention whichincludes any one of the third to ninth features (3) to (9), the holdingdevice comprises at least one pressing member which presses an uppersurface of the circuit substrate, and at least one supporting devicewhich supports the at least one pressing member such that the pressingmember is movable upward and downward. In the present CC mountingsystem, the holding device may sandwich the CS between the at least onepressing member and at least one holding projection. Since the pressingmember is supported such that the pressing member is movable downwardtoward, and upward away from, the holding projection, the pressingmember can appropriately press each of CSes having different thicknessvalues. In addition, when the holding device is moved in the paralleldirection, the pressing member prevents the CS from being moved out ofposition in the parallel direction. The at least one supporting devicemay comprise a spring member which biases the at least one pressingmember downward toward the at least one holding projection. In the lastcase, the biasing force of the spring member causes the CS to be presseddownward, which assures that the CS is received and transferred stablyand quickly.

[0019] (11) According to an eleventh feature of the present inventionwhich includes any one of the second to tenth features (2) to (10), atleast one of the parallel-direction carry-out device and theparallel-direction carry-in device comprises a pair of main membershaving respective inside surfaces opposed to each other; a pair of firstcircuit-substrate supporting members which are attached to therespective inside surfaces of the pair of main members and whichsupport, for the parallel-direction movement of the circuit substrate,opposite end portions of the circuit substrate, respectively, whichextend parallel to a circuit-substrate carrying direction in which thecircuit substrate is carried; at least one second circuit-substratesupporting member which is provided between the pair of firstcircuit-substrate supporting members, and which is movable upward anddownward relative to the pair of main members; and at least oneelevating and lowering device which moves the second circuit-substratesupporting member upward and downward. In the present CC mountingsystem, the CS is moved upward and downward when the second CSsupporting member is moved upward and downward. Since the second CSsupporting member is provided between the first CS supporting members,an intermediate portion of the CS between the opposite end portionsthereof is supported by the second CS supporting device. Thus, thesecond CS supporting member is separate from the first CS supportingmembers. Accordingly, the state in which the CS is supported by thefirst CS supporting members is quickly switchable to, and from, thestate in which the CS is supported by the second CS supporting member.In the case where the removing device or the mounting device comprises aholding device of a type which holds opposite end portions of each CS,the second CS supporting device does not interfere with the transferringof the CS from the parallel-direction carry-in device to the mountingdevice in the first direction or the transferring of the CS from theremoving device to the parallel-direction carry-out device in the seconddirection. Thus, the CS can easily be transferred. Theparallel-direction carry-in device may comprise the second CS supportingmember, and the mounting device may comprise a holding device whichholds the CS. In this case, when the mounting device receives the CSfrom the carry-in device, the second CS supporting member which isholding the CS is moved upward, so that the holding device of themounting device holds respective lower surfaces of opposite end portionsof the CS. Subsequently, the second CS supporting member is moveddownward, and the CS is held by the mounting device. It is desirablethat the second CS supporting member be provided in a downstream-sideportion of the parallel-direction carry-in device. Theparallel-direction carry-out device may comprise the second CSsupporting member. In this case, when the CS is transferred from theremoving device to the parallel-direction carry-out device, the secondCS supporting member is moved upward toward the CS whose opposite endportions are held by the removing device. After the second CS supportingdevice contacts the lower surface of the CS, the removing devicereleases the CS, so that the CS is supported on the second CS supportingmember. After the second CS supporting member is moved downward to aposition where the upper surface of the second CS supporting member islower than those of the first CS supporting members, the CS is held bythe first CS supporting members. It is desirable that the second CSsupporting member be provided in an upstream-side portion of theparallel-direction carry-out device. Thus, in the present CC mountingsystem, the transferring of the CS from from the parallel-directioncarry-in device to the mounting device in the first direction and thetransferring of the CS from the removing device to theparallel-direction carry-out device in the second direction can beeasily performed. In the case where the mounting device comprises aholding device which includes at least one pressing member according tothe tenth feature (10), and at least one pressing-member supportingdevice comprising at least one spring member, the CS is transferred fromthe parallel-direction carry-in device to the mounting device, asfollows: In the case where the parallel-direction carry-in devicecomprises the second CS supporting member, the second CS supportingmember which is holding the CS is moved upward, so that the uppersurface of the CS contacts the pressing member and moves the pressingmember upward against the biasing force of the spring member. After thepivotable holding members of the holding device are pivoted andaccordingly the holding device is switched to its holding state, thesecond CS supporting member is moved downward, so that because of thebiasing force of the spring member, the CS is pressed against the CSsupporting surfaces of the pivotable holding members and is stablysandwiched by the holding claws and pressing member. Similarly, in thecase where the mounting device comprises a holding device which includesat least one pressing member according to the tenth feature (10), and atleast one pressing-member supporting device comprising at least onespring member, the CS is transferred from the removing device to theparallel-direction carry-out device, as follows: In the case where theparallel-direction carry-out device comprises the second CS supportingmember, the second CS supporting member is moved upward, so that theupper surface of the second CS supporting member contacts the lowersurface of the CS, and moves the pressing member upward against thebiasing force of the spring member. Thus, the CS is pressed against thesecond CS supporting member. In this state, if the pivotable holdingmembers of the holding device are pivoted and accordingly the holdingdevice is switched to its releasing state, the CS is released from theremoving device. Therefore, when the second CS supporting member ismoved downward, the CS is moved downward, so that the CS is supported onthe first CS supporting members of the parallel-direction carry-outdevice. For example, the two first CS supporting members may be providedby a pair of conveyor belts, and the second CS supporting member may beprovided by a CS support plate. The CS support plate may be one having ashape which assures that the CS support plate supports substantially theentire lower surface of the CS except the respective lower surfaces ofthe opposite end portions thereof. So long as the CS support plate cankeep its horizontal attitude when moving the CS upward and downward, theCS support plate may be provided by either a single plate member or aplurality of separate plate members.

[0020] (12) According to a twelfth feature of the present inventionwhich includes the eleventh feature (11), the at least one elevating andlowering device comprises a speed control device which controls a speedof the upward and downward movement of the at least one secondcircuit-substrate supporting member. The second CS supporting member ismoved upward and downward while supporting the CS, or while notsupporting a CS. The speed control device may control the speed of theupward and downward movement of the second CS supporting member suchthat while the second CS supporting member supports the CS, the speed islow and, while the second CS supporting member does not support a CS,the speed is high. In the case where the CS is transferred between themounting or removing device comprising the at least one pressing memberand the parallel-direction carry-in or carry-out device, it is desirablethat the speed of upward movement of the second CS supporting member below, so that the pressing member may contact the CS at the low speed.

[0021] (13) According to a thirteenth feature of the present inventionwhich includes any one of the second to twelfth features (2) to (12), atleast one of the parallel-direction carry-out device and theparallel-direction carry-in device comprises at least one stoppingdevice which stops the parallel-direction movement of the circuitsubstrate, and the at least one stopping device comprises (a) anintermediate stopper which is provided between an upstream end and adownstream end of a circuit-substrate carrying route on which thecircuit substrate is carried, and which stops the parallel-directionmovement of the circuit substrate, (b) a stopper supporting member whichsupports the intermediate stopper such that the intermediate stopper ismovable to an operative position thereof where the stopper can stop thecircuit substrate and to an inoperative position thereof where thestopper cannot stop the circuit substrate, and (c) a stopper movingdevice which moves the intermediate stopper relative to the stoppersupporting member and thereby moves the intermediate stopper to each ofthe operative and inoperative positions thereof. The intermediatestopper is used for stopping the parallel-direction movement of the CSat an intermediate position between the upstream and downstream ends ofthe CS carrying route, and keeping the CS at the intermediate position.If it is needed to stop the CS at the intermediate positioncorresponding to the intermediate stopper, the stopper is moved to itsoperative position and, if not, the stopper is moved to its inoperativeposition. Whether the stopper should be moved to its operative orinoperative position depends on the dimension of the CS in the CScarrying direction, etc. For example, in the case where theparallel-direction carry-out device comprises the above-described firstCS supporting members and the first CS supporting members comprise apair of conveyor belts, a plurality of CSes may be transferred from theremoving device to the carry-out device, so that the plurality of CSesare supported on the conveyor belts with an appropriate distance beingleft therebetween in the CS carrying direction. In this state, when anintermediate stopper provided between adjacent two CSes is moved to itsoperative position and the conveyor belts are activated, only the moreor most downstream CS is moved in the parallel direction while one ormore upstream CSes are kept still by one or more intermediate stoppers,respectively. In the case where two or more upstream CSes are stopped bytwo or more intermediate stoppers, those upstream CSes are kept stillwith respective appropriate distances being left between each pair ofadjacent CSes, e.g., at a regular interval of distance. Subsequently,when the more or most downstream intermediate stopper is moved to itsinoperative position, the CS which has been stopped by that stopper iscarried out. In this way, all the upstream CSes that have been stoppedare carried out one by one in the order from the most downstream one ofthem toward the most upstream one. Since one or more intermediatestoppers are movable to its or their operative and inoperative position,the stopper or stoppers can be called as a movable stopper or stoppers.Meanwhile, in the case where the parallel-direction carry-in devicecomprises the above-described first CS supporting members and the firstCS supporting members comprise a pair of conveyor belts, a plurality ofCSes may be carried in by being moved in the parallel direction on theconveyor belts. In this case, the first CS is stopped by the more ormost downstream intermediate stopper being at its operative position, ora downstream-end stopper fixed at a downstream end of a CS carryingroute. Subsequently, another or second intermediate stopper positionedon an upstream side of the first CS being stopped is moved from itsinoperative position to to its operative position, and the conveyorbelts are activated, so that the second CS is carried in and is stoppedby the second intermediate stopper. During this step, the first CSremains stopped. In this way, the CSes are carried in one by one so thatthe CSes are supported on the conveyor belts with respective appropriatedistances being left between each pair of adjacent CSes, e.g., at aregular interval of distance. It is desirable that theparallel-direction carry-in device comprise the above-describeddownstream-end stopper. The downstream-end stopper can be called as afixed stopper.

[0022] (14) According to a fourteenth feature of the present inventionwhich includes the thirteenth feature (13), the at least one of theparallel-direction carry-out device and the parallel-direction carry-indevice further comprises at least one main member, and wherein the atleast one stopper supporting member of the at least one stopping deviceis attached to the at least one main member such that a position wherethe stopper supporting member is attached to the main member ischangeable along the circuit-substrate carrying route. In this case,since the position where the stopper supporting member is attached tothe main member can be changed along the CS carrying route, theintermediate stopper can be moved to its operative position, at adesirable position along the CS carrying route, so that the CS may bestopped at a position corresponding to that desired position. Theposition of attachment of the stopper supporting member may bedetermined depending upon the dimension of the CS in the CS carryingdirection, etc. The parallel-direction carry-out or carry-in device maycomprise at least one elongate hole which is formed in the at least onemain member thereof and extends in the CS carrying direction; and atleast one attaching device which attaches the stopper supporting memberto the elongate hole. In the last case, the elongate hole and theattaching device cooperate with each other to an adjusting device whichadjusts the position of attachment of the stopper supporting member.

[0023] (15) According to a fifteenth feature of the present inventionwhich includes any one of the first to fourteenth features (1) to (14),the circuit-substrate supporting device comprises at least one mainmember; a main holding device which includes (a) at least one axismember supported by the at least one main member such that the at leastone axis member is rotatable about an axis line parallel to the plane ofthe circuit substrate, and (b) a plurality of clamping members which areprovided on the at least one axis member such that the clamping membersare not rotatable relative to the axis member and each of which includesa clamping claw; and at least one rotating device which rotates the atleast one axis member to a clamping position thereof where therespective clamping claws of the clamping members clamp the circuitsubstrate and a non-clamping position thereof where the clamping clawsdo not clamp the circuit substrate. When the axis member is rotated bythe rotating device, the main holding device is selectively switched toits clamping state in which the clamping claws clamp the CS and to itsnon-clamping state in which the clamping claws do not clamp the CS.

[0024] (16) According to a sixteenth feature of the present inventionwhich includes the fifteenth feature (15), the at least one rotatingdevice comprises at least one fluid-operated cylinder device which issupported by the at least one main member such that the at least onefluid-operated cylinder device is rotatable relative to the main memberand which includes a piston rod; and at least one drive lever which isrotatably connected at one end portion thereof to the piston rod of thefluid-operated cylinder device and is engaged at the other end portionthereof to an end portion of the at least one axis member. When thepiston rod of the fluid-operated cylinder device is extended or advancedout of a housing thereof, the drive lever is rotated about the other endportion thereof engaged with the end portion of the axis member, so thatthe axis member is rotated. Since the cylinder device is rotatablysupported by the main member of the CS supporting device, the piston rodcan be smoothly extended out of the housing and accordingly the drivelever can be smoothly rotated. The rotating device may be regarded aspart of the main holding device.

[0025] (17) According to a seventeenth feature of the present invention,there is provided a system for mounting circuit components on a circuitsubstrate, comprising a circuit-substrate supporting device whichsupports the circuit substrate; a circuit-component mounting devicewhich mounts, at a circuit-component mounting position, the circuitcomponents on the circuit substrate supported by the circuit-substratesupporting device; a circuit-substrate carry-in device which carries inthe circuit substrate and transfers the circuit substrate to thecircuit-substrate supporting device; and a circuit-substrate carry-outdevice which carries out the circuit substrate on which the circuitcomponents have been mounted, the circuit-substrate carry-in devicecomprising (A) a parallel-direction carry-in device which carries in thecircuit substrate in a parallel direction substantially parallel to aplane of the circuit substrate, and (B) a mounting device including (b1)first holding device which holds the circuit substrate in a state inwhich the circuit substrate can be transferred in each of a firstdirection perpendicular to the plane of the circuit substrate and asecond direction opposite to the first direction, and (b2) afirst-holding-device moving device which moves the first holding devicein the parallel direction, wherein the first holding device receives, ata circuit-substrate receiving position, the circuit substrate carried inby the parallel-direction carry-in device, in the first direction, andmounts the circuit substrate on the circuit-substrate supporting device,in the second direction, at a circuit-substrate mounting positiondistant from the circuit-substrate receiving position in the paralleldirection, the circuit-substrate carry-out device comprising (C) aparallel-direction carry-out device which carries out the circuitsubstrate on which the circuit components have been mounted, by movingthe circuit substrate in the parallel direction, and (D) a removingdevice including (d1) a second holding device which holds the circuitsubstrate in a state in which the circuit substrate can be transferredin each of the first and second directions, and (d2) asecond-holding-device moving device which moves the second holdingdevice in the parallel direction, wherein the second holding deviceremoves, at a circuit-substrate removing position, the circuit substratefrom the circuit-substrate supporting device, in the first direction,and transfers the circuit substrate to the parallel-direction carry-outdevice, in the second direction, at a circuit-substrate transferringposition distant from the circuit-substrate removing position in theparallel direction, wherein the first-holding-device moving device andthe second-holding-device moving device comprise a common drive sourcewhich produces a drive force to move each of the first holding deviceand the second holding device. In the present CC mounting system, thefirst and second holding devices are moved in the parallel direction bythe common drive source. Since the two holding devices do not needrespective exclusive drive sources, the production cost of the presentsystem can be reduced as such. The first and second holding devices maybe provided by an integral holding device, which is driven by the commondrive source. In the case where the integral holding device is employedin place of two separate holding devices as the first and second holdingdevices, and is moved in the parallel direction to each of the CSreceiving position, the CS mounting position, the CS removing position,and the CS transferring position, the overall distance of movement ofthe integral holding device exceeds the sum of respective overallmovement distances of the two separate holding devices, because theintegral holding device has to do additional movements. However, thoseadditional movements can be done while the CCs are mounted on the CS.Thus, the operation efficiency of the present CC mounting system is notadversely influenced. Meanwhile, in the case where the first and secondholding devices are provided by two separate holding devices, it ispossible to employ a drive-force transmitting device which isselectively switchable to one of a first state in which the transmittingdevice transmits the drive force of the common drive source to both thetwo holding devices, a second state in which the transmitting devicetransmits the drive force to only one of the two holding devices, and athird state in which the transmitting device transmits the drive forceto only the other holding device. In the last case, it is possible thatthe two holding devices be simultaneously moved, and that one of the twoholding devices be moved while the other holding device remains stopped.

[0026] (18) According to an eighteenth feature of the present invention,there is provided a method of mounting circuit components on a circuitsubstrate, comprising the steps of mounting the circuit components onthe circuit substrate supported by a circuit-substrate supportingdevice, removing the circuit substrate on which the circuit componentshave been mounted, from the circuit-substrate supporting device, in afirst direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the circuitsubstrate, transferring the removed circuit substrate to aparallel-direction carry-out device in a second direction opposite tothe first direction, and carrying out the transferred circuit substrateby moving the circuit substrate whose plane extends substantiallyhorizontally, in a parallel direction substantially parallel to theplane of the circuit substrate. In the present CC mounting method, theCS is removed and transferred in the first and second directions,respectively, both of which are perpendicular to the plane of the CS.Accordingly, the CS can be quickly transferred from the CS supportingdevice to the parallel-direction carry-out device, which contributes toimproving the efficiency of the CC mounting operation. The present CCmounting method may be implemented by the CC mounting system accordingto any one of the above-described first to seventeenth features (1) to(17).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The above and optional objects, features, and advantages of thepresent invention will be better understood by reading the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0028]FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a circuit component (“CC”)mounting system to which the present invention is applied;

[0029]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

[0030]FIG. 3 is a partly cross-sectioned, side elevation view of acircuit substrate (“CS”) carry-in device of the CC mounting system ofFIG. 1;

[0031]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a CS transferring device of the CCmounting system of FIG. 1;

[0032]FIG. 5 is a view showing an operation state of the CC mountingsystem of FIG. 1;

[0033]FIG. 6 is a view showing another operation state of the CCmounting system of FIG. 1;

[0034]FIG. 7 is a view showing yet another operation state of the CCmounting system of FIG. 1;

[0035]FIG. 8 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferringoperation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

[0036]FIG. 9 is a time chart representing the steps of the operation ofthe CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

[0037]FIG. 10 is a view showing various steps of a different CStransferring operation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

[0038]FIG. 11 is a time chart representing the steps of the differentoperation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

[0039]FIG. 12 is a time chart representing various steps of a differentCS transferring operation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 1;

[0040]FIG. 13 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferringoperation of another CC mounting system as a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0041]FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view of another CC mounting system asa third embodiment of the present invention;

[0042]FIG. 15 is a plan view of a CS horizontal-carry-in (“HCI”) deviceof the CC mounting system of FIG. 14;

[0043]FIG. 16 is a front elevation view of the CS HCI device of FIG. 15;

[0044]FIG. 17 is a cross-section view of the CS HCI device taken alongA-A in FIG. 15;

[0045]FIG. 18 is a cross-section view of an important part of the CS HCIdevice taken along line, B-B, in FIG. 15;

[0046]FIG. 19 is a plan view of a CS mounting device of the CC mountingsystem of FIG. 14;

[0047]FIG. 20 is an elevation view of an important part of the CSmounting device taken from point, C, in FIG. 19;

[0048]FIG. 21 is an elevation view of an important part of the CSmounting device taken from point, D, in FIG. 19;

[0049]FIG. 22A is a cross-section view of the CS HCI device taken alongline, E-E, in FIG. 21;

[0050]FIG. 22B is a cross-section view of the CS HCI device taken alongline, F-F, in FIG. 21;

[0051]FIG. 23 is an elevation view of the CS mounting device taken frompoint, C′, in FIG. 19;

[0052]FIG. 24 is a plan view of a CS supporting device of the CCmounting system of FIG. 14;

[0053]FIG. 25 is a front elevation view of the CS supporting device ofFIG. 24;

[0054]FIG. 26 is a cross-section view of the CS supporting device takenalong line, G-G, in FIG. 24;

[0055]FIG. 27 is a side elevation view of the CS supporting device takenfrom point, H, in FIG. 24;

[0056]FIG. 28 is a cross-section view of the CS supporting device takenalong line, I-I, in FIG. 24;

[0057]FIG. 29 is a cross-section view of the CS supporting device takenalong line, J-J, in FIG. 24;

[0058]FIG. 30 is a cross-section view of the CS supporting device takenalong line, K-K, in FIG. 24;

[0059]FIG. 31 is a side elevation view of the CS supporting device and aCS removing device of the CC mounting system of FIG. 14;

[0060]FIG. 32 is a side elevation view of the CS supporting device takenfrom point, H′, in FIG. 24;

[0061]FIG. 33 is a plan view of the CS removing device of FIG. 31;

[0062]FIG. 34 is a plan view of a CS horizontal-carry-out (“HCO”) deviceof the CC mounting system of FIG. 14;

[0063]FIG. 35 is a front elevation view of the CS HCO device of FIG. 34;

[0064]FIG. 36 is an illustrative view of a CS carrying device of the CCmounting system of FIG. 14;

[0065]FIG. 37 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferringoperation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 14;

[0066]FIG. 38 is a time chart representing respective actions of variouselements of the CC mounting system of FIG. 14 during the CS transferringoperation thereof;

[0067]FIG. 39 is a plan view of a CS mounting and removing device ofanother CC mounting system as a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0068]FIG. 40 is an illustrative view of a CS carrying device of the CCmounting system of FIG. 39;

[0069]FIG. 41 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferringoperation of the CC mounting system of FIG. 39;

[0070]FIG. 42 is a time chart representing respective actions of variouselements of the CC mounting system of FIG. 39 during the CS transferringoperation thereof;

[0071]FIG. 43 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferringoperation of another CC mounting system as a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0072]FIG. 44 is a time chart representing respective actions of variouselements of the CC mounting system of FIG. 43 during the CS transferringoperation thereof;

[0073]FIG. 45 is a view showing various steps of a CS transferringoperation of a known CC mounting system; and

[0074]FIG. 46 is a time chart representing the steps of the operation ofthe known CC mounting system of FIG. 45.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0075] Referring to the drawings, there will be described a circuitcomponent (“CC”) mounting system 8 embodying the present invention. TheCC mounting system 8 implements a CC mounting method also embodying thepresent invention.

[0076] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the CC mounting system 8 includesa CC mounting device 10 (FIG. 2) which mounts, at a CC mountingposition, CCs on a circuit substrate (“CS”); a CS supporting device 12which supports the CS at at least the CC mounting position; a CScarry-in device 14 which carries in the CS and transfers the CS to theCS supporting device 12; and a CS carry-out device 16 which receives,from the CS supporting device 12, the CS on which the CCs have beenmounted, and carries out the CS. The CS carry-in and carry-out devices14, 16 are provided adjacent to each other on a CS carrying route onwhich the CS is carried, and the CC mounting device 10 is provided atthe CC mounting position offset from the CS carrying route. The CCsupporting device 12 includes a main CS-holding device 20 which holdsthe CS, and a main-holding-device moving device 22 which moves, in ahorizontal plane, the main CS-holding device 20 to the CC mountingposition, a CS mounting position where the CS is mounted on the CSsupporting device 12 by the CS carry-in device 14, and a CS removingposition where the CS is removed from the CS supporting device 12 by theCS carry-out device 16.

[0077] The CS carried in by the CS carry-in device 14 is mounted on theCS supporting device 12 at the CS mounting position, and the mounted CSis moved to the CC mounting position in an X direction and a Y directionnormal to the X direction in the horizontal plane. At the CC mountingposition, a camera 23 reads fiducial marks provided on the CS andsubsequently the CC mounting device 10 mounts CCs on the CS. The CS onwhich the CCs have been mounted is moved to the CS removing positionwhere the CS is removed by the CS carry-out device 16, which thencarries out the CS.

[0078] The CS carry-in device 14 includes a CS horizontal-carry-in(“HCI”) device 24 and a CS mounting device 26. The CS HCI device 24carries in a CS supplied from a CS supplying device (not shown), in ahorizontal direction, and transfers the CS to the CS mounting device 26in the horizontal direction. The CS HCI device 24 includes a conveyordevice (not shown) including a pair of conveyor belts and a drive devicefor moving the conveyor belts and thereby moving the CS in thehorizontal direction. The CS mounting device 26 receives, in thehorizontal direction, the CS moved to the CS mounting position, holdsthe CS, and mounts the CS on the CS supporting device 12 in a verticallydownward direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the CS.The CS mounting device 26 includes a CS holding device 28, and anelevating and lowering device 30 which elevates and lowers the CSholding device 28 in a Z direction perpendicular to the X and Ydirections. The CS holding device 28 includes a pair of pivotableholding portions 32, 33 which are opposed to each other and which arepivotally supported by a pair of elevating and lowering members 35, 36of the elevating and lowering device 30, respectively.

[0079] The elevating and lowering device 30 includes, in addition to theelevating and lowering members 35, 36, two main members 38, 39 whichsupport the two elevating and lowering members 35, 36, respectively,such that the elevating and lowering members 35, 36 are verticallymovable; two drive shafts 40; and a drive device 42. The two driveshafts 40 extends through the two elevating and lowering members 35, 36,the two main members 38, 39, and a frame 44 extending in a CS carryingdirection, such that the two drive shafts 40 are rotatable relative tothe members 35, 36, 38, 39. The first main member 38 and the firstelevating and lowering member 35 are attached to the drive shafts 40,such that the two first members 38, 35 are not movable relative to theshafts 40 in an axial direction of the shafts 40; and the second mainmember 39 and the second elevating and lowering member 36 are attachedto the drive shafts 40, such that the two second members 39, 36 aremovable relative to the shafts 40 in the axial direction of the shafts40 and are fixable at a predetermined position to the shafts 40. Thus,the second main member 39 and the second elevating and lowering member36 are movable toward, and away from, the first main member 38 and thefirst elevating and lowering member 35. When the second members 39, 36are moved toward the first members 38, 35, the second pivotable holdingportion 33 is moved toward the first pivotable holding portion 32, sothat the CS holding device 28 can hold a CS of a sort having a smallwidth; and, when the second members 39, 36 are moved away from the firstmembers 38, 35, the second pivotable holding portion 33 is moved awayfrom the first pivotable holding portion 32, so that the CS holdingdevice 28 can hold a CS of a sort having a great width. Thus, theelevating and lowering device 30 has the function of adjusting thedistance between the two pivotable holding portions 32, 33, owing to themovement of the second pivotable holding portion 33 relative to thefirst pivotable holding portion 32. Thus, the CS mounting device 26 canmount various sorts of CSes having different widths, on the CSsupporting device 12. The main members 38, 39 and the frame 44 providemain portions of the CS holding device 28.

[0080] Two eccentric cams 46 are fixed to each of the two drive shafts40, such that the eccentric cams 46 are not rotatable relative to theeach drive shaft 40. Each of the two elevating and lowering members 35,36 has two elliptic holes 48 each of which is elongate in a horizontaldirection. Each of the four eccentric cams 46 is engaged with acorresponding one of the four elliptic holes 48 via a needle bearing,such that the each eccentric cam 46 is not movable relative to thecorresponding elliptic hole 48 in the Z direction. Each of the two mainmembers 38, 39 has two guide grooves 50 which extend in the Z directionand each of which has a generally U-shaped cross section (however, onlythe grooves 50 of the main member 38 are shown in FIG. 2). Each of thetwo elevating and lowering members 35, 36 has two guide projections 52which are engaged with the two guide grooves 50 of a corresponding oneof the two main members 38, 39 (however, only the projections 52 of theelevating and lowering member 35 are shown in FIG. 2). Owing to theguide grooves 50 and the guide projections 52, the elevating andlowering members 35, 36 are moved in the Z direction while beingprevented from being moved in the X or Y direction. Thus, each of thefour guide grooves 50 and a corresponding one of the four guideprojections 52 cooperate with each other to provide a guide device 54.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 4, each of the drive shafts 40 has a splinegroove in which a spacer 55 fits such that the spacer 55 is notrotatable relative to the each drive shaft 40 and is movable in theaxial direction thereof relative thereto. The main member 39 is attachedto the spacer 55 via a bearing 56 such that the main member 39 isrotatable relative to the spacer 55, and the eccentric cam 46 associatedwith the elevating and lowering member 36 is attached to the spacer 55via a key (not shown) such that the cam 46 is not rotatable relative tothe spacer 55. The spacer 55 has a flange 57 at one of axially oppositeend portions thereof, and has a plurality of radial holes formed in anouter circumferential surface of the other axial end portion thereof. Aspline pin 58 fits in each of the radial holes. Thus, the main member 39and the eccentric cam 46 are sandwiched by the spline pins 58 and theflange 57 in the axial direction of the spacer 55, and is fixed relativeto the spacer 55 in the axial direction thereof. A spacer which isprovided between the main member 39 and the eccentric cam 46, cooperateswith the flange 57 to position the cam 46 in the axial direction of thedrive shaft 40. Thus, the main member 39, the elevating and loweringmember 36, and the spacer 55 are moved as a unit in the axial directionof the drive shaft 40. When the drive shaft 40 is rotated, the spacer 55is rotated with the shaft 40, and the rotation of the spacer 55 istransmitted to the eccentric cam 46 via the key. However, the rotationof the spacer 55 is not transmitted to the main member 39.

[0082] The main member 38 and the elevating and lowering member 35 areattached to the drive shaft 40 such that those members 38, 35 are notmovable relative to the drive shaft 40 in the axial direction thereof.The main member 38 is attached to the drive shaft 40 via a bearing suchthat the main member 38 is rotatable relative to the drive shaft 40, andthe eccentric cam 46 is attached to the drive shaft 40 via a key 59 suchthat the cam 46 is not rotatable relative to the shaft 40.

[0083] The drive device 42 includes an electric motor 60, a guide pulley62, the two drive shafts 40, two timing pulleys 64 associated with thetwo drive shafts 40, respectively, and a belt 66 wound on the guidepulley 62 and the timing pulleys 64. The rotation of the electric motor60 is transmitted to the drive shafts 40 via the belt 66 and, therotation of the drive shafts 40 causes the rotation of the eccentriccams 46. Thus, the elevating and lowering members 35, 36 are elevatedand lowered while being guided by the guide devices 54. Each time theeccentric cams 46 are rotated by 180 degrees, the elevating and loweringmembers 35, 36 are elevated from their lowermost position to theiruppermost position, or are lowered from their uppermost position totheir lowermost position.

[0084] As the speed of rotation of the drive shafts 40 increases, thespeed of upward and downward movement of the elevating and loweringmembers 35, 36 increases. However, since the upward and downwardmovement of the elevating and lowering members 35, 36 is caused by therotation of the eccentric cams 46, the speed of upward and downwardmovement of the members 35, 36 becomes substantially zero in thevicinity of their uppermost and lowermost positions, even if the speedof rotation of the drive shafts 40 may be constant. Thus, the speed ofupward and downward movement of the members 35, 36 smoothly changesbetween their uppermost and lowermost positions. Thus, the upward anddownward movement of the CS can be started and ended at a lowacceleration and/or a low deceleration, which contributes to reducingthe impact exerted to the CS and thereby preventing the CCs from beingmoved out of position on the CS. In addition, the elevating and loweringmembers 35, 36 can be moved to their uppermost and lowermost positionswith high accuracy. Moreover, this arrangement contributes to reducingthe vibration and/or noise produced by the CS mounting device 26.

[0085] The two pivotable holding portions 32, 33 are pivotally attachedto the two elevating and lowering members 35, 36, respectively. When themembers 35, 36 are elevated and lowered, the holding portions 32, 33 areelevated and lowered between a CS-receiving height position where theholding portions 32, 33 receive, from the CS HCI device 24, the CS inthe horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS, and aCS-mounting height position where the holding portions 32, 33 mount theCS on the CS supporting device 12. Thus, the elevating and loweringmembers 35, 36 also function as main portions of the CS holding device28.

[0086] Next, there will be described the construction of the pivotableholding portion 32 as a representative of the two pivotable holdingportions 32, 33 that have an identical construction. As shown in FIG. 4,the holding portion 32 includes a pivotable member 82, and a pluralityof rotatable support members 86. The pivotable member 82 is pivotallyattached to a horizontal axis member 80 which extends in the CS carryingdirection along the elevating and lowering member 35. The rotatablesupport members 86 are attached to the pivotable member 82 such that thesupport members 86 are rotatable relative to the pivotable member 82about respective axis members .84 perpendicular to the axis member 80.The pivotable member 82 is pivoted between its CS holding position wherethe rotatable support members 82 take their horizontal attitudes, andits CS releasing position where the support members 82 take theirvertical attitudes. Thus, the pivotable holding portion 32 can beswitched between its CS holding state and its CS releasing state.

[0087] The CS is supported by the two pivotable holding portions 32, 33such that width-wise opposite end portions of the CS are supported onthe rotatable support members 86 of the two holding portions 32, 33,respectively. The respective pivotable members 82 of the holdingportions 32, 33 are pivoted about the respective axis members 80 byrespective air-operated cylinder devices 87.

[0088] The pivotable member 82 of the pivotable holding portion 32supports the plurality of rotatable support members 86 such that thesupport members 86 are equidistant from one another at an appropriateregular interval of distance along a horizontal straight line. A recess88 is formed between each pair of adjacent rotatable support members 86.Thus, the support members 86 and the recesses 88 are alternatelyprovided. In a state in which the pivotable member 82 takes its CSholding position, each recess 88 opens in a bottom surface of thepivotable member 82 and an inner surface of the same 82 which is opposedto that of the pivotable member 82 of the other pivotable holdingportion 33. Thus, each recess 88 can accommodate a clamp member 90 ofthe main CS-holding device 20 of the CS supporting device 12, as will bedescribed later.

[0089] A support roller 94 is attached to one axial end portion of eachof the rotatable support members 86 which portion is to contact orengage the CS. A friction ring 96 covers an outer circumferentialsurface of the support roller 94. Owing to the friction rings 96, agreat friction force is produced between the support members 86 and theCS. Thus, the rotations of the support members 86 can be transmitted tothe CS with reliability.

[0090] A driven pulley 110 is attached to the other axial end portion ofeach of the rotatable support members 86 which portion is remote fromthe support roller 94. A plurality of guide pulleys 112 are rotatablyattached to the pivotable member 82 such that the driven pulleys 110 andthe guide pulleys 112 are positioned in the same plane. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the driven pulleys 110 and the guide pulleys 112 aregrouped into an upstream-side group 114 and a downstream-side group 116in the CS carrying direction, and a belt 118 is wound on the drivenpulleys 110 and the guide pulleys 112 of the upstream-side group 114 anda belt 120 is wound on the pulleys 110, 112 of the downstream-side group116. The belt 118 is driven by a drive motor 122, and the belt 120 isdriven by a drive motor 124. The respective rotations of the two drivemotors 122, 124 are synchronized with each other.

[0091] In the present embodiment, each of the driven pulleys 110 is aflanged pulley, and some of the guide pulleys 112 are flanged pulleysand the other guide pulleys 112 are non-flanged pulleys. Thus, the belts118, 120 are easily wound on the pulleys 110, 112 and simultaneously areeffectively prevented from coming off the pulleys 110, 112. The drivenpulleys 110, the guide pulleys 112, the belts 118, 120, and the drivemotors 122, 124 cooperate with one another to provide a rotating device126 which rotates the rotatable support members 86. When the supportmembers 86 are rotated, the CS supported on the members 86 are moved inthe horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS. Accordingly,the rotating device 126 and the support members 86 cooperate with eachother to provide a CS moving device which moves the CS in a paralleldirection parallel to the plane of the CS.

[0092] Two frames 130, 132 bridge between the frame 44 and the mainmember 38 of the elevating and lowering device 30, over the main member39 and the elevating and lowering members 35, 36. Two positioningdevices 134, 136 are attached to the two frames 130, 132, respectively,such that the positioning devices 134, 136 are movable along guidemembers in a direction perpendicular to the CS carrying direction, i.e.,the width-wise direction of the CS. The positioning devices 134, 136function as CS-carrying-direction CS-positioning devices each of whichstops the CS when the CS is carried in the CS carrying direction. Thedownstream-side positioning device 134 is not vertically movable but theupstream-side positioning device 136 is vertically movable. Thepositioning device 136 normally takes its upper, inoperative positionand, when the second CS is carried in after the first CS, is lowered toits lower, operative position, as will be described later.

[0093] Since the positioning devices 134, 136 are movable in thewidth-wise direction of CSes, those devices 134, 136 can act on agenerally middle portion of each of different sorts of CSes havingdifferent widths.

[0094] The CS carry-out device 16 includes a CS horizontal-carry-out(“HCO”) device 150, and a CS removing device 152. The CS HCO device 150carries out the CS in a horizontal direction parallel to the plane ofthe CS. The CS removing device 152 removes the CS on which the CCs havebeen mounted, in the direction of thickness of the CS, i.e., avertically upward direction perpendicular to the plane of the CS, andtransfers the CS to the CS HCO device 150. The CS removing device 152includes a CS holding device 154 which removes the CS from the CSsupporting device 12 and holds the CS, and an elevating and loweringdevice 156 which elevates and lowers the CS holding device 154 between aCS-removing height position where the CS holding device 154 removes theCS supported on the CS supporting device 12, and a CS-transferringheight position where the CS holding device 154 transfers the removed CSto the CS HCO device 150 in the horizontal direction.

[0095] The CS HCO device 150 and the CS removing device 152 haverespective constructions similar to those of the CS HCI device 24 andthe CS mounting device 26, respectively, and the description of theformer devices is omitted. It is however noted that a fixed one 157 oftwo main members of the elevating and lowering device 156 is integralwith the fixed main member 38 of the elevating and lowering device 30,and that the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 includes a pair ofpivotable holding portions 158, 159 like the CS-carry-in CS holdingdevice 28.

[0096] The CS supporting device 12 includes, in addition to thepreviously described main CS-holding device 20 and themain-holding-device moving device 22, an elevating and lowering device160 which elevates and lowers the main CS-holding device 20 in the Zdirection. The moving device 22 includes an X-Y table 162 for moving themain CS-holding device 20 in the X and Y directions in the horizontalplane. The elevating and lowering device 160 includes a Z-directionslider 164, and a device which elevates and lowers the Z-directionslider 164. In the present embodiment, the main CS-holding device 20 isprovided on the Z-direction slider 164, and the Z-direction slider 164is provided on the X-Y table 162. Thus, the CS held by the mainCS-holding device 20 can be moved in both the horizontal direction andthe vertical direction. The main CS-holding device 20 is verticallymovable between a CS-mounting height position where the CS mountingdevice 26 mounts the CS on the main CS-holding device 20, a CS-removingheight position where the CS removing device 152 removes the CS from themain CS-holding device 20, a CC-mounting height position where the CCsare mounted on the CS, and a horizontal-movement height position wherethe main CS-holding device 20 is moved in the horizontal plane. In thepresent embodiment, the CS-mounting height position is level with theCS-removing height position.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 4, the main CS-holding device 20 includes a pairof CS clamping devices 166, 168 which clamp the CS at the width-wiseopposite end portions thereof, respectively. The CS clamping device 166is fixedly provided, and the CS clamping device 168 is provided suchthat the device 168 is movable relative to the fixed device 166 in thewidth-wise direction of the CS. There will be described the constructionof the CS clamping device 166 as a representative of the two CS clampingdevices 166, 168 which have an identical construction. It is noted thatthe main CS-holding device 20 cooperates with the CS-carry-in CS holdingdevice 28 to provide a first CS transferring device 170, and cooperateswith the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 to provide a second CStransferring device 170.

[0098] The CS clamping device 166 includes the previously describedclamp members 90, a comb-like main member 176, and a clamp-memberpivoting device 177 which pivots the clamp members 90 to a CS clampingposition where the clamp members 90 clamp the CS and a CS releasingposition where the clamp members 90 release the CS. The clamp-memberpivoting device 177 includes a single rotatable axis member 178 which isprovided on the main member 176 such that the axis member 178 isrotatable relative to the main member 176; a plurality of drive gears179 which are provided on the axis member 178 such that the drive gears179 are not rotatable relative to the axis member 178; a plurality ofsector gears 180 which are provided as respective integral portions ofthe clamp members 90; and a plurality of intermediate gears 181 whichare provided between the drive gears 179 and the corresponding sectorgears 180. The drive gears 179, the sector gears 180, and theintermediate gears 181 cooperate with one another to provide a rotationtransmitting device which transmits the rotation of the axis member 178to the clamp members 90.

[0099] The clamp members 90 are provided on respective upper surfaces ofteeth of the comb-like main member 176. The teeth of the main member 176have respective inner recesses 182. The clamp members 90 cooperate withthe inner recesses 182 to clamp the CS. The intermediate gears 181 aremeshed with the drive gears 179, respectively, and are meshed with thesector gears 180, respectively. Therefore, the rotation of the axismember 178 is transmitted to the clamp members 90 via the gears 179,181, and 180, so that the clamp members 90 are pivoted to their CSclamping and CS releasing positions. The axis member 178 is rotated byan air-operated cylinder device 184.

[0100] The present CC mounting system 8 includes a control device 190(FIG. 2) which is essentially provided by a computer and which controlsthe electric motors 60, 122, 124, etc.

[0101] Next, there will be described the operation of the CC mountingsystem 8 constructed as described above, by reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0102] The first and second steps illustrated in FIG. 8 are CS carry-insteps. After the CC mounting device 10 finishes mounting CCs on CSes200, 202, the main CS-holding device 20 which holds the CSes 200, 202 onwhich the CCs have been mounted is moved, by the main-holding-devicemoving device 22, from the CC mounting position to the CS removingposition in a horizontal direction parallel to the plane of each CS 200,202. The term “OPEN” used in FIG. 8 indicates that the pair of pivotablemembers 82 of the CS-carry-in or CS-carry-out CS holding device 28 or154 take their CS releasing position; the term “CLOSE” indicates thatthe pair of pivotable members 82 take their CS holding position; theterm “UP” indicates that the CS-carry-in or CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 28 or 154 take their CS receiving or CS transferring heightposition; and the term “DOWN” indicates that the CS-carry-in orCS-carry-out CS holding device 28 or 154 take their CS mounting or CSremoving height position.

[0103] Now, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 is, at its CSremoving position, in a waiting state in which the CS holding device 154is ready for removing the CSes 200, 202 clamped by the main CS-holdingdevice 20. That is, the CS holding device 154 is at its CS removingheight position, and the pivotable members 82 of the CS holding device154 are at their CS releasing position.

[0104] In addition, new CSes 210, 212 are carried in by the CS HCIdevice 24 in the horizontal direction parallel to the respective planesof the CSes 210, 212, and are transferred to the CS mounting device 26.Both of the drive motors 122, 124 of the CS-carry-in CS holding device28 are operated, and all the rotatable support members 86 belonging toboth the downstream-side and upstream-side groups 114, 116 are rotated.The first CS 210 is moved with the rotation of the support members 86 inthe horizontal direction parallel to the plane of the CS 210, until theleading end of the CS 210 butts the downstream-side positioning device134. In this state, the upstream-side positioning device 136 is at itsupper position where the positioning device 136 cannot stop the CS 210.When the CS 210 butts the positioning device 134, the drive motor 122 isstopped and accordingly the CS 210 is stopped there.

[0105] Subsequently, the upstream-side positioning device 136 is loweredto its CS positioning height position. only the drive motor 124 isoperated and only the rotatable support members 86 belonging to theupstream-side group 116 are rotated. Since the rotatable support members86 belonging to the downstream-side group 114 are not rotated, the firstCS 210 is prevented from being moved in any direction and accordingly itremains stopped. When the second CS 212 is moved in the horizontaldirection parallel to the plane of the CS 212 and the leading end of theCS 212 butts the upstream-side positioning device 136, the drive motor124 is stopped and the CS 212 is stopped there. Thus, the CS holdingdevice 28 holds the two CSes 210, 212 which have thus been positioned inthe CS carrying direction, and waits in this state.

[0106] In this way, while CCs are mounted on CSes at the CC mountingposition and the CSes on which the CCs have been mounted are moved fromthe CC mounting position to the CS removing position, new CSes arecarried in by the CS HCI device 24 and are transferred to the CSmounting device 26 in the horizontal direction parallel to the planes ofthe new CSes. Then, the CS holding device 28 waits in this state, asshown in FIG. 5.

[0107] When the main CS-holding device 20 arrives at the CS removingposition, the third step shown in FIG. 8, that is, the CS removing stepstarts. In the CS removing device 152, the pivotable members 82 of theCS-carry-out CS holding device 154 are rotated to their CS holdingposition and, in the CS supporting device 12, the clamp members 90 arerotated to their CS releasing position. Thus, the two CSes 200, 202 areheld by the CS holding device 154 and are simultaneously removed fromthe CS supporting device 12 in the direction of thickness of each CS200, 202 perpendicular to the plane of the same 200, 202. While thepivotable members 82 are at their CS holding position, the clamp members90 are accommodated in the recesses 88, respectively, as shown in FIG.6. Thus, the clamp members 90 and the rotatable support members 86 arealternate with each other, that is, the CS clamping positions and the CSholding positions are alternate with each other on the CS. Accordingly,the support members 86 and the clamp members 90 do not interfere witheach other. Therefore, the clamp members 90 of the main CS-holdingdevice 20 can be rotated between their CS clamping position and their CSreleasing position, while simultaneously the pivotable members 82 of theCS-carry-out CS holding device 154 are rotated between their CSreleasing position and their CS holding position. Thus, the CStransferring operation can be performed smoothly.

[0108] It emerges from the foregoing description that in the presentembodiment, when the CSes 200, 202 on which the CCs have been mountedare transferred between the CS supporting device 12 and the CS carry-outdevice 16, the CSes 200, 202 are not substantially moved, which leads toreducing the impact exerted to the CSes 200, 202 and effectivelypreventing the CCs from being moved out of position on the CSes 200,202. In addition, since the CSes 200, 202 are removed in the directionof thickness thereof, the CS removing operation can be finished in ashorter time than that needed when CSes are removed in a directionparallel to the plane of each CS. Moreover, since two CSes 200, 202 canbe simultaneously removed, the present system 8 can enjoy improvedoperation efficiency.

[0109] Meanwhile, in the CS mounting device 26, the downward movement ofthe CS-carry-in CS holding device 28 is started. As previouslydescribed, this downward movement is started when the main CS-holdingdevice 20 reaches the CS removing position. After the main CS-holdingdevice 20 reaches the CS mounting position, the main CS-holding device20 is moved downward to its CS-mounting height position at a low speed,which contributes to reducing the impact exerted to the CSes 200, 202.Although the downward movement of the CS holding device 28 is performedat the low speed, the total time needed for transferring the CSes 200,202, 210, 212 is not increased, because the downward movement isperformed concurrently with the removing of the CSes 200, 202. Since inthe present embodiment the CS mounting position and the CS removingposition are remote from each other, the operation at the CS mountingposition and the operation at the CS removing position can be performedconcurrently.

[0110] At the fourth and fifth steps shown in FIG. 8, the mainCS-holding device 20 is lowered to its horizontal-movement heightposition and then is moved to its CS mounting position in a horizontaldirection, as shown in FIG. 7. Since currently the main CS-holdingdevice 20 is not holding any CSes, the downward and horizontal movementsof the CS holding device 20 can be quickly performed with an abruptacceleration and/or an abrupt deceleration. In the known CC mountingsystem 500 shown in FIG. 14, the main CS-holding portion 518 cannot bemoved in the CS carrying direction. In contrast, in the present CCmounting system 8, the main CS-holding device 20 is moved in the CScarrying direction. Since, however, the CS holding device 20 can bequickly moved in the CS carrying direction as described above, the timeneeded for the movement of the CS holding device 20 is not increased somuch.

[0111] The main CS-holding device 20 is lowered before being moved inthe horizontal direction, because in the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 inwhich the main CS-holding device 20 and the CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 154 are at their CS removing positions, the clamp members 90 areaccommodated in the recesses 88 of the pivotable members 82 andaccordingly interfere with the horizontal movement of the CS holdingdevice 20. In addition, since the CS holding device 154 is holding theCSes 200, 202 and the CS holding device 20 is not holding any CSes, thedownward movement of the CS holding device 20 can be performed morequickly than the upward movement of the CS holding device 154, so thatthe horizontal movement of the CS holding device 20 can be started morerapidly.

[0112] After the CSes 200, 202 are removed from the CS supporting device12, the upward movement of the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154holding the CSes 200, 202 is started. The CS holding device 154 is movedupward to the CS-transferring height position where the respective lowersurfaces of the CSes 200, 202 held thereby are slightly higher than theupper surfaces of the conveyor belts of the CS HCO device 150. Sincethis upward movement is performed by utilizing the eccentric cams 46,the acceleration and deceleration of the upward movement at thelowermost and uppermost positions of the CS holding device 154 can bemade small, which contributes to reducing the impact exerted to the CSes200, 202 on which the CCs have been mounted, thereby effectivelypreventing the CCs from being moved out of position on the CSes 200,202. Since this upward movement is performed concurrently with thehorizontal movement of the main CS-holding device 20, the overall timeneeded for transferring the CSes 200, 202, 210, 212 is not increasedalthough the upward movement is performed at a low speed.

[0113] When the main CS-holding device 20 is horizontally moved to itsCS mounting position, the sixth step commences, and the main CS-holdingdevice 20 is moved upward to its CS mounting height position. Thus, theclamp members 90 of the main CS-holding device 20 which are at their CSreleasing position are accommodated in the recesses 88 of the pivotablemembers 82 of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28, and the bottomsurfaces of the recesses 182 of the main member 176 of the CS clampingdevices 166, 168 engage the lower surfaces of the CSes 210, 212.

[0114] The seventh step is the CS mounting and CS carrying-out step. Inthe CS supporting device 12, the clamp members 90 are pivoted to theirCS clamping position and, in the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28, thepivotable members 82 are pivoted to their CS releasing position. Thus,the two CSes 210, 212 are simultaneously mounted on the CS supportingdevice 12. The CSes 210, 212 are handed smoothly without being moved inthe vertical direction, like when the CSes 200, 202 are handed for beingremoved from the CS supporting device 12. Thus, the impact exerted tothe CSes 210, 212 is reduced. Therefore, even if the CSes 210, 212 whichare carried in by the CS carry-in device 14 may have some CCs alreadymounted thereon, those CCs are prevented from being moved out ofposition on the CSes 210, 212. In addition, since the CSes 210, 212 aremounted on the CS supporting device 12 in the direction of thickness ofeach CS 210, 212, the time needed for mounting the same 210, 212 can beshortened. Moreover, the two CSes 210, 212 can be simultaneously mountedon the CS supporting device 12 while being positioned in the CS carryingdirection.

[0115] Meanwhile, the CS removing device 152 starts the transferring ofthe CSes 200, 202 to the CS HCO device 150 in the horizontal directionparallel to the plane of each CS 200, 202. The drive motor 122 isstarted to rotate the rotatable support members 86 belonging to thedownstream-side group 114, so that the CS 200 is transferredhorizontally to the CS HCO device 150. Thereafter, both of the drivemotors 124, 122 are operated to rotate all the rotatable support members86 belonging to the upstream-side and downstream-side groups 116, 114,so that the CS 202 is transferred horizontally to the CS HCO device 150.The two CSes 200, 202 are transferred to the CS HCO device 150 in theorder of description. Thus, during this horizontal movement of the CSes200, 202, the CSes 200, 202 are effectively prevented from riding oneach other. Since this horizontal transferring of the CSes 200, 202 areperformed without involving the operation of the CS supporting device12, the horizontal transferring of the CSes 200 202 can be performedconcurrently with the mounting of the CSes 210, 212 and/or the mountingof CCs on the CSes 210, 212. The CSes 200, 202 transferred to the CS HCOdevice 150 are carried out by the same 150 in the horizontal directionparallel to the plane of each CS 200, 202.

[0116] The eighth and ninth steps are the CS carrying-out step. TheCS-carry-in CS holding device 28 is moved upward, and the mainCS-holding device 20 is moved from its CS mounting position to its CCmounting position. Since the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28 is notholding any CSes, the CS holding device 28 can be quickly moved up withan abrupt acceleration and/or an abrupt deceleration. At the CSreceiving height position of the CS holding device 28, the pivotablemembers 82 of the same 28 are rotated to their CS holding position.Thus, the CS holding device 28 waits in a state in which the CS holdingdevice 28 is ready for receiving the CSes carried in by the CS HCIdevice 24. Meanwhile, at the CS removing height position of the CSremoving device 152, the pivotable members 82 of the same 152 arerotated to their CS releasing position. In this state, the CS-carry-outCS holding device 154 waits.

[0117] The present CC mounting system 8 mounts CCs on the CSes 200, 202,210, 212 in the above-described manner. FIG. 9 shows that the presentsystem 8 needs only 1.3 second to remove the two CSes 200, 202 from theCS supporting device 12 and mount the two CSes 210, 212 on the CSsupporting device 12. Since the removing of the CSes 200, 202 and themounting of the CSes 210, 212, i.e., the transferring of the CSes 200,202, 210, 212 are performed in the direction of thickness of each CS200, 202, 210, 212, the time needed for the transferring of the CSes200, 202, 210, 212 can be shorter than a time that would be needed whenthe transferring is performed in the parallel direction parallel to theplane of each CS. Since the CS supporting device 12 can be freely movedduring the thus saved time, the device 12 can enjoy improved operationefficiency, which leads to improving the operation efficiency of thepresent CC mounting system 8.

[0118] Recently, CSes which have a small dimension in the CS carryingdirection are widely used in portable telephones. The present CCmounting system 8 can simultaneously transfer two CSes which have asmall dimension in the CS carrying direction, and accordingly can enjoyimproved operation efficiency.

[0119] The present CC mounting system 8 can mount CCs on each of varioussorts of CSes which have different dimensions in the CS carryingdirection and/or their width-wise direction perpendicular to the CScarrying direction. Depending upon the dimensions of the CSes, thedistance between the pair of pivotable CS holding devices 32 and 33, or158 and 159, or the pair of CS clamping devices 166 and 168 isadjustable in the CS mounting device 26, the CS removing device 152, orthe main CS-holding device 20, respectively. Meanwhile, in the casewhere the present system 8 mounts CCs on CSes which have a greatdimension in the CS carrying direction, both of the drive motors 122,124 are constantly operated to rotate all the rotatable support members86, when each CS is horizontally transferred from the CS HCI device 24to the CS mounting device 26 and when each CS is horizontallytransferred from the CS removing device 152 to the CS HCO device 150.Thus, the CSes which have a great dimension in the CS carrying directioncan be transferred in the horizontal direction parallel to the plane ofeach CS. In this case, the upstream-side positioning device 136 remainskept at its upper or retracted position.

[0120]FIG. 10 shows the steps of the operation for transferring a singleCS 220 which have a great dimension in the CS carrying direction, andFIG. 11 shows the time chart of that operation. FIG. 11 indicates thatthe present CC mounting system 8 needs only 1.3 second to transfer thesingle CS 220. In contrast, FIG. 15 shows that the known CC mountingsystem 500 needs 5.0 seconds. Thus, the present system 8 can transfereach CS in about one third of the conventional time.

[0121]FIG. 12 shows the time chart of an operation for transferring asingle CS which have a small dimension in the CS carrying direction.Since the CS can be held by any portion of each of the main CS-holdingdevice 20, the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28, and the CS-carry-out CSholding device 154, the distance of horizontal movement of the mainCS-holding device 20 can be shortened and accordingly the time neededfor the horizontal movement can be shortened. Since the time needed forthe horizontal movement can be shortened, the time needed for thedownward movement of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 28 holding the CSfrom its CS receiving height position to its CS mounting height positioncan be shortened in comparison with the second to seventh steps shown inFIG. 10.

[0122] Thus, the present CC mounting system 8 can mount CCs on varioussorts of CSes having different dimensions, while reducing the overalltime needed for mounting and removing each sort of CS.

[0123] It is noted that the CS HCI device 24 and the CS HCO device 150can be said as fixed or main conveyor devices and that the CS mountingdevice 26 and the CS removing device 152 can be said as movable orauxiliary conveyor devices.

[0124] In the illustrated embodiment, both the removing of one or twoCSes from the CS supporting device 12 and the mounting of one or moreCSes on the same 12 are performed in the direction of thickness of eachCS. However, even in the case where the removing of one or two CSes fromthe CS supporting device 12 is performed in the direction of thicknessof each CS but the mounting of one or more CSes on the same 12 is notperformed in the direction of thickness of each CS, the overall timeneeded for transferring each CS can be shortened because, even in theknown CC mounting system as shown in FIG. 14, the speed of horizontaltransferring of the CS 520 from the CS carry-in device 514 to the CSsupporting device 512 can be increased unlike the speed of horizontaltransferring of the CS 521 from the CS supporting device 512 to the CScarry-out device 516, that is, because no CC or only a small number ofCCs are mounted on the CS 520 which is transferred from the CS carry-indevice 514 to the CS supporting device 512.

[0125] In the illustrated embodiment, two CSes are simultaneouslymounted or removed. However, three or more CSes can be simultaneouslymounted and removed, to further improve the operation efficiency of theCC mounting system 8. In this case, for example, the rotatable supportmembers 86 are divided into three or more groups, so that each of thethree or more groups of support members 86 may be rotated independent ofthe other groups.

[0126] In the illustrated embodiment, when the two CSes 200, 202 aretransferred from the CS removing device 152 to the CS HCO device 150,the CSes 200, 202 are moved one by one in the horizontal direction.However, this manner is not essentially required. It is possible thatthe two CSes 200, 202 be simultaneously moved by operating both of thedrive motors 122, 124, because it is not necessary to position the CSes200, 202 in the CS carrying direction unlike in the case where the CSes210, 212 are carried in. In the case where the two CSes 200, 202 aresimultaneously moved, it is not necessary to group the rotatable supportmembers 86 of the CS-carry-out CS holding device 154 into theupstream-side and downstream-side groups 114, 116.

[0127] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the CS-carry-in andCS-carry-out CS holding devices 28, 154 supports the lower surface ofeach CS, and the main CS-holding device 20 clamps each CS. However, atleast one of the three CS holding devices 28, 154, 20 may be replaced byan air-suction device which holds each CS by applying air suctionthereto.

[0128] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the CS-carry-in andCS-carry-out elevating and lowering devices 30, 156 employ the eccentriccams 46. However, each of the elevating and lowering devices 30, 156 mayemploy a hydraulic actuator for elevating and lowering a correspondingone of the CS-carry-in and CS-carry-out CS holding devices 28, 154.Since, in particular, the CS-carry-in elevating and lowering device 30can more greatly accelerate and/or decelerate the upward and downwardmovements of the CS holding device 28 than the CS-carry-out elevatingand lowering device 156, it is more advantageous for the elevating andlowering devices 30 to employ a hydraulic actuator in place of theeccentric cams 46.

[0129] In the illustrated embodiment, the CC mounting position isdifferent from the CS mounting position and the CS removing position,and accordingly the main CS-holding device 20 must be able to move inthe horizontal direction. However, the the CC mounting position maycoincide with at least. one of the CS mounting position and the CSremoving position. In the latter case, at least one of the CS mountingdevice 26 and the CS removing device 152 is provided with a movingdevice which moves the CS holding device 28, 154 thereof to, and awayfrom, the CC mounting or removing position.

[0130] In the illustrated embodiment, the CC mounting device 10 isprovided with only the single camera 23 which reads the fiducial marksof each CS. However, two or more cameras 23 may be employed. In the casewhere two or more cameras 23 are provided in a direction parallel to theCS carrying direction, the cameras 23 can concurrently read the fiducialmarks of two or more CSes, respectively. In the case where two or morecameras 23 are provided in a direction perpendicular to the CS carryingdirection, the cameras 23 can simultaneously read two or more fiducialmarks of each CS, respectively. In any case, the present CC mountingsystem 8 can read the fiducial mark or marks of each CS in a reducedtime, and accordingly can shorten the time needed for mounting CCs oneach CS.

[0131] The control manners or patterns shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12 arejust examples. The present CC mounting system 8 can be operatedaccording to different control patterns.

[0132]FIG. 13 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, whichalso relates to a CC mounting system. In the present CC mounting system248, a CC carry-in device 250, 252 includes an elevating and loweringdevice for elevating and lowering a CS-carry-in CS holding device 256,and a CC carry-out device 250, 254 includes an elevating and loweringdevice for elevating and lowering a CS-carry-out CS holding device 258.However, a CS supporting device 264 does not include an elevating andlowering device for elevating and lowering a main CS-holding device (notshown) thereof. In addition, each of the CS-carry-in CS holding device256 and the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 is switchable to its CSholding state and its CS releasing state by utilizing horizontalmovement, unlike the first embodiment wherein the pivotal motion of thepivotable members 82 is utilized for the same purpose. Moreover, thecarrying-in of each CS in a horizontal direction parallel to the planeof the CS, and the mounting of the CS in a vertically downward directionperpendicular to the plane of the CS are performed by the singleCS-carry-in CS holding device 256, and the removing of the CS in avertically upward direction, and the carrying-out of the CS in thehorizontal direction are performed by the single CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 258.

[0133] The instant CC mounting system 248 includes a guide member 250which extends in a CS carrying direction, and two sliders 252, 254 eachof which is guided by the guide member 250. The first slider 252supports an end portion of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256, suchthat the CS holding device 256 is movable upward and downward, and thesecond slider 254 supports an end portion of the CS-carry-out CS holdingdevice 258, such that the CS holding device 258 is movable upward anddownward.

[0134] Each of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 and theCS-carry-out CS holding device 258 includes a pair of holding members260, 262 which are movable relative to each other in a horizontaldirection. Each pair of holding members 260, 262 are movable toward eachother to their CS holding position where respective holding handsthereof cooperate with each other to support a lower surface of a CS 270and thereby hold the CS, and are movable away from each other to theirCS releasing position where the two holding hands release the CS. Thus,each of the two CS holding devices 256, 258 is switchable to its CSholding and releasing positions. The distance between each pair ofmovable holding members 260, 262 positioned at their CS holding positionis easily adjustable, depending upon the dimension of the CS in the CScarrying direction. Thus, each of the CS-carry-in and CS-carry-out CSholding devices 256, 258 can hold various sorts of CSes having differentdimensions in the CS carrying direction. Thus, the adjusting of thedistance between each pair of movable holding members 260, 262positioned at their CS holding position, and the switching of each pairof movable holding members 260, 262 between their CS holding andreleasing positions can be performed by a single drive source, whichleads to reducing the production cost of the present CC mounting system248.

[0135] Each of the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 and theCS-carry-out CS holding device 258 can be elevated and lowered betweenits CS carrying height position where the CS is carried in thehorizontal direction parallel to the plane thereof, and its CStransferring height position where the CS is transferred to, or from,the CS supporting device 264. Reference numerals 266, 268 designate a CSsupplying device and a CS discharging device, respectively. The CSholding device 256 is horizontally moved between a CS receiving positionand a CS mounting position, and the CS holding device 258 ishorizontally moved between a CS removing position and a CS dischargingposition.

[0136] The CS supporting device 264 includes a main CS-holding deviceand a main-holding-device moving device (not shown) which are similar tothe main CS-holding device 20 and the main-holding-portion moving device22 of the first CC mounting system 8. The main CS-holding device of thedevice 264 is horizontally moved between the CC mounting position, theCS mounting position, and the CS removing position. The CS supportingdevice 264 does not include a device for elevating and lowering the mainCS-holding device thereof, as described above.

[0137] In the first, second, and third steps shown in FIG. 13, theCS-carry-in CS holding device 256 holding the CS 270 is moved to the CSmounting position in the horizontal direction parallel the plane of theCS 270. Thus, the CS 270 is carried in from the CS supplying device 266.At the CS mounting position, the CS holding device 256 waits whileholding the CS 270, i.e., waits in a state in which the CS holdingdevice 256 is ready for mounting the CS 270 on the CS supporting device264.

[0138] In addition, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 waits, at theCS removing position, in a state in which the CS holding device 258 isready for removing the CS 270 from the CS supporting device 264, i.e.,the pair of movable holding members 260, 262 are kept at their CSreleasing position. Meanwhile, a CS 272 on which CCs have been mountedis moved to the CS removing position in a horizontal direction parallelto the plane of the CS 272.

[0139] In the fourth and fifth steps, the CS-carry-out CS holding device258 is quickly moved downward to the CS removing height position, andthe two movable holding members 260, 262 are moved toward each other totheir CS holding position. CS clamping members (not shown) of the CSsupporting device 264 are switchable to their CS releasing position. TheCS holding device 258 removes, from the CS supporting device 264, the CS272 in the direction of thickness thereof. Subsequently, the CS holdingdevice 258 is slowly elevated, and the CS supporting device 264 isquickly moved to the CS mounting position in a horizontal direction.Before the CS supporting device 264 is moved horizontally, the CSholding device 258 is moved upward for preventing the holding members260, 262 from interfering with the horizontal movement of the mainCS-holding device of the supporting device 264.

[0140] In the sixth step, the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 isslowly moved downward to the CS mounting height position, and the twomovable holding members 260, 262 are moved away from each other to theirCS releasing position. The clamp members of the CS supporting device 264are switched to their CS clamping position. The CS holding device 256mounts, on the CS supporting device 264, the CS 270 in the direction ofthickness thereof. Subsequently, the CS holding device 256 is quicklyelevated.

[0141] In addition, the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 is movedhorizontally to the CS discharging position, and the CS 272 istransferred from the CS holding device 258 to the CS discharging device268, which then carries out the CS 272.

[0142] In the seventh step, the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 ismoved horizontally to the CS supplying position, and the CS supportingdevice 264 is moved horizontally to the CC mounting position.

[0143] As is apparent from the foregoing description, in the secondembodiment shown in FIG. 13, the mounting and removing of the CSes 270,272 are performed in the direction of thickness thereof, whichcontributes to reducing the overall time needed for transferring theCSes 270, 272. Since the CS supporting device 264 is not provided with adevice for elevating and lowering the main CS-holding device thereof, asdescribed above, the overall time needed for the second CC mountingsystem 248 to transfer the CSes 270, 272 may involve the time needed forlowering and elevating the CS-carry-in CS holding device 256 holding theCS 270 and the CS-carry-out CS holding device 258 holding the CS 272,and accordingly may be greater as such than that needed for the first CCmounting system 8 to perform the same operation. However, thetransferring of the CSes 270, 272 is performed in the direction ofthickness of each CS 270, 272, the second system 248 can receive the CS270 and transfer the CS 272 in a still shorter time than that needed forthe known CC mounting system 500 to perform the same operation. Inaddition, the carrying-in of the CS 270 in the horizontal direction andthe mounting of the CS 270 in the direction of thickness thereof areperformed by the single CS-carry-in CS holding device 256, and theremoving of the CS 272 in the direction of thickness thereof and thecarrying-out of the CS 272 in the horizontal direction are performed bythe single CS-carry-out CS holding device 258. This arrangement leads tosimplifying the construction of the CC mounting system 248.

[0144] In the second embodiment, the pair of holding members 260, 262 ofeach of the two CS holding devices 256, 258 hold the opposite endportions of each CS 270, 272, respectively, in the CS carryingdirection. However, it is possible that each of the two CS holdingdevices 256, 258 be provided with a pair of holding members which holdthe width-wise opposite end portions of each CS 270, 272. In addition,it is possible that at least one of the two CS holding devices 256, 258be provided with a pair of pivotable CS-holding members which aresimilar to the pivotable members 82 of the first CC mounting system 8.The main CS-holding device of the CS supporting device 256 may bemodified to support the lower surface of each CS 270, 272, in place ofemploying the CS clamping members which are similar to the clamp members90 of the first system 8. In the latter case, the CS holding device 256can mount each CS 70 on the main CS-holding device of the supportingdevice 264, by releasing the CS and thereby allowing the same to fall onthe device 264. The CS supporting device 264 may be provided with adevice for elevating and lowering the main CS-holding device thereof. Inthis case, the overall time needed for the second system 248 to transferthe CSes 270, 272 can be shortened to the same degree as that needed forthe first system 8 to do so. In addition, in the last case, the two CSholding devices 256, 258 may be supported by the two sliders 252, 254,respectively, such that each CS holding device 256, 258 is not movableupward or downward.

[0145] In each of the first and second embodiments, each of the CScarry-in device 14, 250, 252, the CS carry-out device 16, 250, 254, theCS supporting device 12, 264, and the CC mounting device 10 may bemodified as needed.

[0146] Referring next to FIGS. 14 to 38, there will be described a thirdembodiment of the present invention, which also relates to a CC (circuitcomponent) mounting system and a CC mounting method.

[0147] In FIG. 14, reference numerals 310, 312, and 314 designate a CS(circuit substrate) carrying device, a CC mounting device, and a CCsupplying device, respectively. The CC supplying device 314 includes twoCC supplying tables 320, 322 each of which supports a plurality of CCsupplying units (not shown). The two CC supplying tables 320, 322 aremoved on guide rails 328 by two feeding-screw mechanisms 324, 326,respectively. Each CC supplying table 320, 322 is moved to a CCsupplying position where CCs are supplied one by one from an appropriateone of the CC supplying units supported thereby to the CC mountingdevice 312. Each CC supplying unit includes a cartridge which holds atape to which CCs are adhered, and a tape feeding device which feeds thetape such that the CCs are supplied one by one to the CC mounting device312. More specifically described, the CC mounting device 312 includes anintermittently rotatable index table, and each CC supplying unit cansupply CCs one by one to the CC mounting device 312 in synchronism withthe intermittent rotation of the index table. In the present embodiment,a lot of CCs and/or various sorts of CCs can be continuously supplied tothe CC mounting device 312, because the two CC supplying tables 320, 322can be simultaneously used.

[0148] At a CC mounting position, the CC mounting device 312 mounts theCCs on a CS supported by a CS supporting device 330. The CC mountingdevice 312 includes a plurality of suction heads each of which can holda CC by applying suction thereto and can mount the CC on the CS. Thosesuction heads are attached to the index table that is intermittentlyrotatable about a vertical axis line, such that the suction heads areequiangularly spaced from each other about the axis line. As the indextable is intermittently rotated, the suction heads suck, one by one, theCCs supplied from the CC supplying device 314 on one hand while mountingthe sucked CCs on the CS on the other hand. That is, the CC mountingdevice 312 concurrently receives the CCs and mounts the CCs.

[0149] The CC mounting device 312 is provided with a fiducial-markreading camera 332. The camera 332 reads a fiducial mark fixed to eachCS, before CCs are mounted on the CS. The camera 332 is of a type whichreads one fiducial mark at one time. However, the camera 332 may bereplaced with another type which can simultaneously read two or morefiducial marks. The latter camera is advantageous for the case where twoor more CSes are simultaneously supported by the CS supporting device330, because the time needed for mounting the CCs on the CSes can bereduced.

[0150] The CS carrying device 310 includes a CS carry-in device 336 anda CS carry-out device 338 which are provided on a CS carrying route. TheCS carry-in device 336 includes a CS horizontal-carry-in (HCI) device340 which carries in the CS supplied by a CS supplying device (notshown), by moving the CS in a horizontal direction substantiallyparallel to the plane of the CS; and a CS mounting device 342 whichreceives the CS carried in by the CS HCI device 340, in a verticallyupward direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the CS, andwhich mounts the CS on the CS supporting device 430, in a verticallydownward direction. The CS carry-out device 338 includes a CShorizontal-carry-out (HCO) device 346 which carries out the CS on whichthe CCs have been mounted, by moving the CS in the horizontal direction;and a CS removing device 348 which removes the CS from the CS supportingdevice 330, in the vertically upward direction, and which transfers theCS to the CS HCO device 346 in the vertically downward direction.

[0151] The CS HCI device 340 and the CS HCO device 346 are provided on abase member 350 (FIG. 16) of the present CC mounting system 308, suchthat the two devices 340, 346 are spaced from each other in a CScarrying direction, i.e., an X direction. The CS HCI device 340 includesa pair of main members 352, 354 which extend in the X direction. One 352of the two main members 352, 354 is a fixed member, and the other mainmember 354 is a movable member which is movable toward, and away from,the fixed main member 352. Similarly, the CS HCO device 346 includes apair of main members 356, 358 which extend in the X direction. One 356of the two main members 356, 358 is a fixed member, and the other mainmember 358 is a movable member which is movable toward, and away from,the fixed main member 356. The CS mounting device 342 and the CSremoving device 348 have a common fixed main member 360 which extends inthe X direction, and have respective movable members 362, 364 whichextend in the X direction. That is, the CS mounting device 342 has thepair of fixed and movable main members 360, 362, and the CS removingdevice 348 has the pair of fixed and movable main members 360, 364. Thecommon fixed main member 360 is attached to the respective fixed mainmembers 352, 356 of the CS HCI device 340 and the CS HCO device 346, andthe respective movable main members 362, 364 are fixed to the respectivemovable main members 354, 358 of the CS HCI device 340 and the CS HCOdevice 346. Thus, the distance between the fixed main members 352, 360,356 and the movable main members 354, 362, 364, 358 can be adjusted bymoving the movable main members 354, 362, 364, 358 as a unit, in amanner which will be described later. This distance may be adjusteddepending upon the width of the CS to be carried by the CS carryingdevice 310. This distance will be referred to as the “CS-carryingwidth”, if appropriate.

[0152] As shown in FIGS. 15 to 18, the CS HCI device 340 includes, inaddition to its main members 352, 354, a side frame 370, a main-membersupporting device 372 which supports the main members 352, 354, aCS-carrying-width adjusting device 374, a horizontal-direction CS-movingdevice 376, a CS-support-plate elevating and lowering device 378, and aCS-horizontal-movement stopping device 380.

[0153] As shown in FIGS. 15 and 18, the main-member supporting device372 includes two bar-like rods 382 which extend, below the main members352, 354, in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction; and fourprops 384 two of which support one of the two rods 382 and the other twoof which support the other rod 382. The props 384 are fixed to the base350. Each rod 382 is fixed at one end thereof to the fixed main member352, and is fixed at the other end thereof to the side frame 370. Therespective heights of the props 384 are adjustable, and the heightposition where the CS is carried in is adjustable by adjusting theheights of the props 84.

[0154] As shown in FIG. 15, the CS-carrying-width adjusting device 374includes two feeding-screw mechanisms 388, 390 and two guide rods 392,394. A rotation transmitting device 398 transmits the rotation of ahandle 396 which is provided as part of the CS HCO device 346, to thefeeding-screw mechanisms 388, 390.

[0155] As shown in FIG. 14, the rotation transmitting device 398includes chains and sprockets which cooperate with one another totransmit the rotation of the handle 396 to the first feeding-screwmechanism 388, and the rotation transmitted to the first feeding-screwmechanism 388 is further transmitted to the second feeding-screwmechanism 390 by two sprockets 404, 406 and a chain 408. The rotationsthus transmitted to the feeding-screw mechanisms 388, 390 cause themovable main member 354 to move toward, and away from, the fixed mainmember 352 by being guided by the guide rods 392, 394. As describedpreviously, when the handle 396 is rotated by an operator, therespective CS carrying widths of the CS HCO device 346, the CS HCIdevice 340, the CS mounting device 342, and the CS removing device 348are simultaneously adjusted. In the present embodiment, the handle 396provided as part of the CS HCO device 346 functions as a drive source ofthe CS-carrying-width adjusting device 374.

[0156] As shown in FIG. 18, the horizontal-direction CS-moving device376 includes two carry-in belts 420, 422 each as a CS support member,two guide plates 424, 426, and two electric motors 428, 430. The firstcarry-in belt 420 is wound on two pulleys which are rotatably attachedto the fixed main member 352, and the second carry-in belt 422 is woundon two pulleys which are rotatably attached to the movable main member354. Each belt 420, 422 is driven when the corresponding two pulleys arerotated by the corresponding electric motor 428, 430. Thus, the CSsupported on the two belts 420, 422 is carried in by being moved in thehorizontal direction while being guided by the guide plates 424, 426.Since the electric motors 428, 430 are driven in synchronism with eachother, the two belts 420, 422 are started and stopped at substantiallythe same time and are moved at substantially the same speed.

[0157] As shown in FIG. 17, the CS-support-plate elevating and loweringdevice 378 elevates and lowers two CS support plates 440 each as a CSsupport member, and includes an air-operated cylinder device 442 and aCS-support-plate elevating and lowering member 444. The elevating andlowering device 378 is provided in a downstream portion of the CS HCIdevice 340 as viewed in the CS carrying direction.

[0158] The elevating and lowering member 444 extends in the Y direction,and opposite end portions thereof are supported by two guide devices446, 448, respectively, such that an intermediate portion thereof isopposed to a piston rod 450 of the air cylinder 442.

[0159] The elevating and lowering member 444 is movable verticallyupward and downward between its uppermost position defined by anuppermost position of the piston rod 450 of the air cylinder 442, andits lowermost position defined by a lowermost position of the piston rod450 where a stopper fixed to the top end of the rod 450 butts a housingof the air cylinder 442.

[0160] The two CS support plates 440 are provided by two plate-likemembers which extend in the CS carrying direction and which are attachedto the two main members 352, 354, respectively, via respective plateguiding devices 452 which are provided above the CS-support-plateelevating and lowering member 444 with respective clearances being lefttherebetween. Each plate guiding device 452 includes a plate supportmember 454 which supports the corresponding CS support plate 440, aspring 456 which is provided between the plate support member 454 andthe corresponding main member 352, 354, and a guide rod 458 whichextends parallel to the spring 456. The spring 456 biases the platesupport member 454 downward. A stopper 459 which is fixed to an upperend portion of each guide rod 458 is buttable on a lower stepped surface460 and an upper stepped surface 461 of the corresponding main member352, 354. The downward and upward movements of the CS support plates 440are limited by the butting of the stoppers 459 on the lower and upperstepped surfaces 460, 461 of the main members 352, 354, respectively.

[0161] Since the two CS support plates 440 are provided between the twocarry-in belts 420, 422, the two plates 440 are prevented from beinginterfered with by the two belts 420, 422, when the plates 440 are movedupward and downward. In addition, since the two plates 440 supportrespective inside portions of the CS which are inside the opposite endportions thereof which are supported by the two belts 420, 422, theplates 440 do not interfere with the CS mounting device 342, when themounting device 342 holds the CS.

[0162] When the piston rod 450 is moved upward by the operation of theair cylinder 442, the CS-support-plate elevating and lowering member 444is moved upward while being guided by the guiding devices 446, 448. Whenthe elevating and lowering member 444 is moved upward, theCS-support-plate support members 454 are moved upward against thebiasing forces of the springs 456, while the support members 454 areguided by the guide rods 458. Thus, the CS support plates 440 are movedupward.

[0163] When the piston rod 450 is moved downward, the CS support plates440 and the CS-support-plate elevating and lowering member 444 are moveddownward by the biasing forces of the springs 456.

[0164] As shown in FIG. 16, the CS-horizontal-movement stopping device380 can stop the CS at an intermediate position between an upstream enda downstream end of the CS HCI device 340 in the CS carrying direction.More specifically described, in the case where two or more CSes aresimultaneously carried in, the stopping device 380 stops the second CS,or each of the second and following CSes, at a predeterminedintermediate position. In the present embodiment, the position where thestopping device 380 is attached to the CS HCI device 340 is adjustablein the CS carrying direction. Thus, the second CS can be stopped at adesired intermediate position, and accordingly an appropriate distanceor space can be provided between the first and second CSes, the secondand third CSes, and so on.

[0165] The CS-horizontal-movement stopping device 380 includes anintermediate stopper 462, a stopper support plate 464 which supports thestopper 462, and a stopper moving device 466 which is attached to thestopper support plate 464 and which moves the stopper 462 between itsoperative and inoperative positions. The support plate 464 is attached,with attaching devices 472 each of which includes a bolt and a nut, toan elongate hole 470 formed in a frame 468 which is fixed to the fixedmain member 352 of the CS HCI device 340. Thus, the position where thestopping device 380 is attached to the SC HCI device 340 in the CScarrying direction can be adjusted within a range corresponding to theelongate hole 470. This position may be determined depending upon thedimension of the CS in the CS carrying direction.

[0166] The stopper moving device 466 includes an air-operated cylinderdevice 474, and a moving lever 476 which moves the intermediate stopper462. The moving lever 476 is provided by a generally L-shaped member.The stopper 462 is fixed to one end portion of the lever 476, and apiston rod 478 of the air cylinder 474 is pivotally attached to theother end portion of the lever 476. The lever 476 has an intermediateportion 480 which is pivotally attached to the stopper support plate464. When the piston rod 478 is positioned at its retracted position,the stopper 462 is positioned at its inoperative position; and as thepiston rod 478 is moved to its advanced or extended position, theintermediate portion 480 of the lever 476 is pivoted and the stopper 462is moved to its operative position.

[0167] In the present embodiment, the single stopping device 380 isattached to the CS HCI device 340. However, two or more stopping devices380 may be attached to the device 340. In the latter case, three or moreCSes can be simultaneously carried in, and can be supported on thecarry-in belts 420, 422 with an appropriate space being provided betweeneach pair of adjacent CSes.

[0168] As shown in FIG. 15, a downstream-end stopper 482 as a fixedstopper is provided at a downstream end of the fixed main member 352 ofthe CS HCI device 340. The horizontal movement of the first CS that isfirst carried in is stopped by the downstream-end stopper 482.

[0169] When the carry-in movement of CSes is started, the intermediatestopper 462 is positioned at its inoperative position. When the carry-inbelts 420, 422 are driven, the first CS is moved in the horizontaldirection, until the horizontal movement of the first CS is stopped bythe downstream-end stopper 482. Subsequently, the intermediate stopper462 which is on the upstream side of the downstream-end stopper 482 ismoved to its operative position, when the air cylinder 474 is operated.The next CS is moved in the horizontal direction by the carry-in belts420, 422, and the horizontal movement of the second CS is stopped by theintermediate stopper 462. The first CS is kept stopped in contact withthe downstream-end stopper 482. Thus, the two CSes are supported on thecarry-in belts 420, 422 in a state in which the space defined by theintermediate stopper 462 is provided between the two CSes.

[0170] As illustrated in FIG. 36, the CS HCI device 340 includes twoplate sensors 492, two stopper sensors 494, two CS-arrival sensors 496,and two CS-low-speed sensors 498. The two plate sensors 492 detect theuppermost and lowermost positions of the CS support plates 440,respectively. The two stopper sensors 494 detect the operative andinoperative positions of the intermediate stopper 462, respectively. Thetwo CS-arrival sensors 496 detect the arrival of the first CS at thedownstream-end stopper 482 and the arrival of the second CS at theintermediate stopper 462, respectively. The two CS-low-speed sensors 498detect that the respective speeds of horizontal movements of the firstand second CSes are lower than a predetermined value. The positionswhere the sensors 496, 498 are attached to the CS HCI device 340 areadjustable depending upon the dimensions of the CSes which are to becarried. In order that the two CSes which move in the horizontaldirection butt the two stoppers 482, 462, respectively, at a low speed,the electric motors 428, 430 are so controlled as to decrease therespective speeds of horizontal movements of the two CSes down to thepredetermined value. It is noted that FIG. 23 only illustrates therespective functions of the sensors 496, 498 and does not show theactual positions thereof. The plate sensors 492 are not provided on theair cylinder 442, or the stopper sensors 494 are not provided on the aircylinder 474. In fact, those sensors 492 or 494 are provided atrespective positions where they can detect the opposite end positions ofmovement of the member(s) 440 or 462 which is moved as the piston rod ofthe air cylinder 442, 474 is moved.

[0171] As shown in FIG. 19 to 23, the CS mounting device 342 includes,in addition to its main members 360, 362, a CS holding device 510, aconnecting device 512, and a CS-holding-device moving device 514. The CSholding device 520 includes a pair of pivot-type holding portions 516,518 which include respective main members 520, 522 which are engagedwith the two main members 360, 362 of the CS mounting device 342,respectively, such that the former main members 520, 522 are movablerelative to the latter main members 360, 362 in the CS carryingdirection and are not movable in the width-wise direction of the CSes.Since the movable main member 362 is movable toward, and away from, thefixed main member 362, the distance of the two pivot-type holdingportions 516, 518 can be adjusted by adjusting the distance of the twomain members 360, 362. Thus, the CS mounting device 342 can holddifferent sorts of CSes having different widths.

[0172] As shown in FIG. 21, the connecting device 512 includes aconnecting member 524 which connects the respective main members 520,522 of the two pivot-type holding portions 516, 518. With the connectingdevice 512, the two main members 520, 522 are connected to each othersuch that the movable main member 522 is movable in the width-wisedirection relative to the fixed main member 520 and such that the twomain members 520, 522 are not movable relative to each other in the CScarrying direction. As shown in FIG. 19, the connecting member 524 has agenerally triangular shape in its plan view, and is fixed at its oneside to the fixed main member 520. A guide rail 526 which extends in thewidth-wise direction is attached to a lower surface of the connectingmember 524, and a slider 528 which is fixed to the movable main member522 is engaged with the guide rail 526. Thus, the main member 522 ismovable in the width-wise direction. Since the guide rail 526 extends inthe width-wise direction perpendicular to the CS carrying direction, thetwo main members 520, 522 are prevented from being moved relative toeach other in the CS carrying direction.

[0173] As shown in FIG. 19, the CS-holding-device moving device 514includes an air-operated cylinder device 530; a driver-side slider 532;two holder-side guide rails 534, 536 which are provided inside the mainmembers 360, 362, respectively; two holder-side sliders 538 which arefixed to the fixed main member 520 and which are engaged with theholder-side guide rail 534 fixed to the fixed main member 360, and twoholder-side sliders 540 which are fixed to the movable main member 522and which are engaged with the holder-side guide rail 536 fixed to themovable main member 362; and a connecting member 541. The air cylinder530 is a “rodless” cylinder which does not have a piston rod, and thedriver-side slider 532 is movable, as a unit, with a piston of the aircylinder 530. The connecting member 541 connects the slider 532 and themain member 520 to each other. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 23, theconnecting member 541 includes two engagement projections 542 which areengaged with two engagement holes 543 formed in the main member 520. Theholes 543 have a vertical dimension slightly greater than that of theprojections 542, and the same horizontal dimension as that of the same542. Accordingly, the slider 532 is engaged with the main member 520such that the slider 532 is slightly vertically movable relative to themain member 520 and is not horizontally movable relative to the same520.

[0174] When the air cylinder 530 is operated and the piston thereof ismoved forward and backward in the CS carrying direction, the driver-sideslider 532 is moved forward and backward in the CS carrying direction,so that the main member 520 is moved along the guide rail 534. Since thetwo main members 520, 522 are connected to each other by the connectingdevice 512, the main member 522 is also moved with the main member 520.Thus, the CS holding device 510 is moved.

[0175] A driver-side slider 544 of the CS removing device 348 isindicated at broken line in FIG. 19 and indicated at solid line in FIG.23. The slider 544 is fixed to a piston of an air-operated cylinderdevice 546 of the CS removing device 348. A CS holding device 548 (FIG.33) of the CS removing device 348 is moved forward and backward in thehorizontal direction, in a similar manner.

[0176] Since the two pivot-type holding portions 516, 518 of the CSholding device 510 are identical with each other, there will bedescribed the holding portion 518 provided on the movable main member362, and the description of the holding portion 516 provided on thefixed main member 360 is omitted. As shown in FIGS. 22A and 22B, theholding portion 518 includes, in addition to the main member 522, apivotable member 550 which is provided on the main member 520 such thatthe pivotable member 550 is pivotable; a number of holding claws 554 asholding projections which are fixed to the pivotable member 550 at aregular interval of distance and each of which has a CS supportingsurface 552 and a CS positioning surface 553; and a CS pressing plate556 which is provided above the holding claws 554. As shown in FIG. 21,the CS pressing plate 556 is a comb-like member including a number oftooth portions, and is attached to a CS-pressing-member support member558 via springs 560 and guide rods 562 such that the tooth portions ofthe plate 556 correspond to the holding claws 554, respectively. Thesupport member 558 is fixed to opposite end portions of the main member522 with screw members 563 (FIG. 23 shows one screw member 563 used forfixing another CS-pressing-plate support member 558 to the other mainmember 520). Thus, the CS pressing member 556 is attached to the mainmember 522 such that the pressing member 556 is vertically movablerelative to the main member 522.

[0177] The CS is sandwiched by the CS holding claws 554 and the CSpressing plate 556, such that the CS supporting surfaces 552 of theholding claws 554 contact one end portion of the lower surface of the CSand the CS positioning surfaces 553 of the claws 554 contact one sidesurface of the CS. Thus, the CS is effectively prevented from beingmoved relative to the CS holding device 510 in the horizontal direction,when the holding device 510 is moved in the horizontal direction. Inaddition, the CS is effectively prevented from being vibrated in thevertical direction.

[0178] The pivotable member 550 of the pivot-type holding portion 518 ispivoted by a pivoting device 564, which includes two air-operatedcylinder devices 566, and a motion converting device 568. The motionconverting device 568 includes a rod 570 as a cam follower, and a cam574. In the state in which the rod 570 is opposed to a piston of each ofthe air cylinders 566, and if the piston is axially moved, the rod 570is axially moved. The cam 574 is a semi-cylindrical member having asemi-circular cross section, and the rod 570 includes an end portion 572which is engaged with an outer circumferential surface of the cam 574such that the end portion 572 is slideable on the outer surface of thecam 574. A generally middle portion of the cam 574 is attached to thepivotable member 550 such that the cam 574 is not rotatable relative tothe pivotable member 550. The end portion 572 is formed of silicon, andhas a semi-spherical shape. Thus, the coefficient of friction of the endportion 572 with respect to the cam 574 is very low. A spring 575 whichbiases the rod 570 upward to its retracted position is supported by themain member 522, such that the spring 575 extends parallel to the rod570. When the piston of each of the air cylinders 566 is retracted, therod 570 is retracted by the biasing force of the spring 575. Anotherspring 576 which biases the cam 574 toward its CS holding position(i.e., its original position shown in FIG. 20) is provided between thecam 574 and the main member 522. A stopper 578 which defines a limit ofrotation of the cam 574 is fixed to the CS-pressing-plate support member558. Thus, the stopper 578 defines a limit of pivotal movement of thepivotable member 550.

[0179] The two air cylinders 566 are fixed to two positions of themovable main member 362 of the CS mounting device 342, respectively,which correspond to two operative positions (i.e., a CS receivingposition and a CS mounting position) of the CS holding device 510, andthe motion converting device 568 is fixed to the main member 522.Similarly, another pair of air cylinders 566 are fixed to two positionsof the fixed main member 360 of the CS mounting device 342,respectively, which correspond to the two operative positions of the CSholding device 510, and another motion converting device 568 is fixed tothe main member 520. As shown in FIG. 19, the air cylinders 566corresponding to the CS mounting position are attached to a cylindersupport member 579 fixed to a main member (not shown) of the present CCmounting system 308, such that the position where the air cylinders 566are attached the support member 579 is adjustable in the CS conveyingdirection.

[0180] If the CS holding device 510 is stopped at each of its operativepositions, where the respective rods 570 fixed to the main members 520,522 are opposed to respective piston rods of the corresponding two aircylinders 566, and the air cylinders 566 are operated to advance orextend their piston rods in their axial direction, the rods 570 aremoved downward and the end portions 572 contact the respective outersurfaces of the cams 574. Since the end portions 572 can slide on thecams 574 being forcedly rotated, the rods 570 are permitted to furthermove downward. Accordingly, the pivotable members 550 are pivoted, sothat the pivot-type holding portions 516, 518 are switched from their CSholding position where the CS holding claws 554 holds the CS, to theirCS releasing position where the claws 554 releases the CS. On the otherhand, when the piston rods of the air cylinders 566 are retracted, thecams 574 are returned to their CS holding position by the biasing forcesof the springs 576, and the rods 570 are moved upward by the biasingforces of the springs 575.

[0181] Since in the present embodiment the air cylinders 566 are fixedto the main members 360, 362 of the CS mounting device 342, the CSholding device 510 enjoys its reduced weight and accordingly is easilymovable. The rods 570 of the motion converting devices 568 can be easilyoperated by just axially aligning the rods 570 with the piston rods ofthe air cylinders 566 and operating the air cylinders 566. Thus, the aircylinders 566 and the motion converting devices 568 enjoy simpleconstructions, although the cylinders 566 and the converting devices 568are provided on separate members, respectively.

[0182] In the CS mounting device 342, the CS holding device 510 is movedbetween the CS receiving position where the holding device 510 receivesthe CS from the CS HCI device 340, and the CS mounting position wherethe holding device 510 mounts the CS on the CS supporting device 330.The CS receiving and mounting positions correspond to the oppositelimits of movement of the driver-side slider 532, that is, the oppositeends of movement of the piston of the air cylinder 530. The CS receivingand mounting positions of the CS holding device 510 are detected by twoCS-holding-device position sensors 580 (FIG. 36), respectively. The CSholding and releasing states of the CS holding device 510 are detectedby two CS-holding-device state sensors 582, respectively. Two CSrecognizing sensors 584 detect whether two CSes are present at aCS-mounting height position at the CS mounting position. The two sensors584 are provided at respective positions on the main member (not shown)of the CC mounting system 308 which correspond to the downstream andupstream CSes held by the CS holding device 510 at the CS mountingposition. Each sensor 584 detects whether a corresponding CS is present,based on whether the sensor 584 can detect the light reflected from theCS. FIG. 38 shows that the sensor 584 corresponding to the upstream CSproduces, after normal ON and OFF signals, a short ON signal, becausethe sensor 584 first detects the first or downstream one of each pair ofCSes for a short time when the CS holding device 510 is moved in thehorizontal direction, and then detects the second or upstream CS.

[0183] As shown in FIGS. 24 to 32, the CS supporting device 330 includesa main CS-holding device 600, a main-holding-device moving device 602, aguiding device 604, and a main-holding-device elevating and loweringdevice 606. The main-holding-device moving device 602 includes an X-Ytable 612 which supports a main member 610 of the CS supporting device330, and an electric motor 613 which moves the X-Y table 612 in the CSconveying direction (i.e. X direction) and the Y direction perpendicularto the X direction, so that the main member 610 is moved in the X and Ydirections.

[0184] The main-holding-device elevating and lowering device 606 whichis provided on the main member 610 moves a main member 614 of the mainCS-holding device 600, upward and downward, relative to the main member610. The main CS-holding device 600 includes a pair of clamp-typeholding portions 616, 618 which include respective main members 620,622. The main member 620 of the holding portion 616 is fixedly attachedto the main member 614, and the main member 622 of the holding portion618 is movably attached to the same 614. As shown in FIG. 24, the mainmember 620 is fixed to the main member 614 with two fixing devices 623.Since the clamp-type holding portions 616, 618 belong to the mainCS-holding device 600, it can be said that the main members 620, 622belong to the main CS-holding device 600.

[0185] Each of the clamp-type holding portions 616, 618 includes, inaddition to the corresponding main member 620, 622, a rotatable axismember 624 which is supported by the corresponding main member 620, 622such that the axis member 624 is rotatable relative thereto; a number ofclamp members 626 which are fixed to the axis member 624 such that theclamp members 626 are provided at a regular interval of distance; and arotating device 628 which rotates the axis member 624 and thereby drivesthe clamp members 626. Since the clamp-type holding portions 616, 618are identical with each other except that the holding portion 616 isfixed to the main member 614 and the holding portion 618 is movablerelative to the same 614, there will be described the holding portion618 movably provided on the side of the main member 622, and thedescription of the holding portion 616 fixedly provided on the side ofthe main member 620 is omitted.

[0186] The main member 622 of the clamp-type holding portion 618 is acomb-like member extending in the CS carrying direction. As shown inFIGS. 21 and 28 to 31 (however, FIG. 30 shows the clamp-type holdingportion 616), the main member 622 has a CS support surface 632 whichsupports one end portion of the lower surface of the CS; a CSpositioning surface 634 which contacts one side surface of the CS andthereby positions the CS in the width-wise direction of the CS; and anaxis-member accommodating space 636 in which the axis member 624 isaccommodated. The CS is clamped by the CS support surface 632 of themain member 622 and respective clamp claws 644 of the clamp members 626.

[0187] The axis member 624 is supported, at its opposite end portions,by the main member 622 such that the axis member 624 is rotatablerelative to the main member 622, and is supported, at its generallymiddle portion, by the same 622 via a bearing 646. The rotating device628 is provided in association with one of the opposite end portions ofthe main member 622.

[0188] As shown in FIG. 27, the rotating device 628 includes anair-operated cylinder device 650 and a drive lever 652. One end portionof the drive lever 652 is pivotally connected to a piston rod 654 of theair cylinder 650, and the other end portion of the lever 652 is engagedwith an end portion 656 of the axis member 624. More specificallydescribed, the end portion 656 has two chamfered surfaces which areparallel to each other, and the other end portion of the lever 652sandwiches the chamfered end portion 656. When the air cylinder 650 isoperated and the piston rod 654 is vertically moved, the drive lever 652is pivoted about the axis member 624, so that the axis member 624 isrotated. Thus, the main CS-holding device 600 is switched between its CSclamping position and its CS releasing or non-clamping position.

[0189] The air cylinder 650 is pivotally attached to the main member622. Accordingly, the clamp-type holding portion 618 can clamp, with asubstantially constant force, each of different sorts of CSes havingdifferent thickness values. In addition, this arrangement assures thatthe piston rod 354 is smoothly advanced from, and retracted into, ahousing of the air cylinder 650.

[0190] As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the air cylinder 650 is attached tothe main member 622 such that a portion thereof is accommodated in aspecial space formed in the main member 622. An inner, bottom surface657 partly defining the special space defines a limit of the pivotalmovement of the air cylinder 650.

[0191] The clamp members 626 are provided such that the clamp claws 644face the CS support surface 632 of the main member 622 of the clamp-typeholding portion 618. When the CS is transferred from the CS mountingdevice 342 to the CS supporting device 330, the CS holding device 510 ofthe CS mounting device 342 is positioned such that the holding claws 554of the CS holding device 510 are alternate with the clamp claws 644 ofthe main CS-holding device 600, as shown in FIG. 21. Thus, the holdingclaws 554 and the clamp claws 644 do not interfere with each other. Inaddition, since the holding claws 554 and the clamp claws 644simultaneously hold and clamp the CS, the CS can be transferred withreliability.

[0192] The above description is also true for the transferring of the CSfrom the CS supporting device 330 to the CS removing device 348. Sincethe clamp claws 644 are alternate with the holding claws 554 of a CSholding device 648 of the CS removing device 348, the CS can be removedfrom the main CS-holding device 600 with reliability.

[0193] In the state in which the CS is clamped by the clamp-type holdingportions 616, 618, a positioning pin 658 is inserted in a hole formed inthe CS as shown in FIG. 26, and a backup pin 660 supports the lowersurface of the CS opposite to the upper surface thereof on which the CCsare to be mounted. The backup pin 660 is fixed to a pin support member662, which is vertically movable.

[0194] As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the guiding device 604 includes twoguide rails 664, and two engagement portions 666. The guide rails 664are part of the main member 614 of the main CS-holding device 600, andthe engagement portions 666 are part of the main member 622 of thepivot-type holding portion 618. As shown in FIG. 18, the main member 622has two width-adjusting engageable grooves 668 formed in opposite endportions thereof. Meanwhile, the movable main member 364 of the CSremoving device 348 has two engageable projections 670 provided onopposite end portions thereof. The grooves 668 and the projections 670are engageable with each other. At the CS removing position where the CSsupported by the CS supporting device 330 is removed by the CS removingdevice 348, the projections 670 are engageable with the width-adjustinggrooves 668. In the state in which the projections 670 are engaged withthe grooves 668, the main member 622 is moved toward, and away from, themain member 620, like in the CS HCI device 340, the CS HCO device 346,the CS mounting device 342, and the CS removing device 348.

[0195] The adjusting of the CS-carrying width may be performed bycausing, e.g., the two guide members 424, 426 of the CS HCI device 340to contact the width-wise opposite side surfaces of the CS,respectively. This assures that the CS positioning surfaces 553 of theholding claws 554 of the pivot-type holding portions 516, 518 of the CSmounting device 342 or the CS removing device 348 can contact andposition the width-wise opposite side surfaces of the CS, and that theCS positioning surfaces 634 of the main members 620, 622 of theclamp-type holding portions 616, 618 of the CS supporting device 330 cancontact and position the widthwise opposite side surfaces of the CS.Regarding the CS HCO device 346, the guide members 424, 426 thereof cancontact and guide the width-wise opposite side surfaces of the CS, likethe CS HCI device 340.

[0196]FIG. 29 shows one of two fixing devices 674 which are provided onthe main member 622 of the pivot-type holding portion 618. Each fixingdevice 674 includes an air-operated cylinder device 676. When the aircylinder 676 is operated, a pressing member 680 fixed to a piston 678 ofthe cylinder 676 presses the corresponding guide rail 664, so that themain member 622 is fixed at its current position. A spring 682 isprovided between the piston 678 and the main member 622. When the aircylinder 676 is deactivated, the piston 678 is moved upward by thebiasing force of the spring 682, so that the main member 622 isreleased.

[0197] As described above, the main-holding-device elevating andlowering device 606 elevates and lowers the main member 614 of the mainCS-holding device 600 which supports the clamp-type holding portions616, 618. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 32, the elevatingand lowering device 606 includes an electric motor 684; a drive pulley685; four feeding-screw devices 686 provided in four corners of the mainmember 610 of the CS supporting device 330, respectively; a plurality ofdriven pulleys 687; and a timing belt 688. The driven pulleys 687 areattached to the main member 610 such that the pulleys 687 are rotatablerelative to the main member 610. The rotation of the drive pulley 685 istransmitted to the feeding-screw devices 686. Each feeding-screw device686 includes a driven portion 689 on which the timing belt 688 is wound;a nut 690 which is rotatable with the driven portion 689; and a ballscrew 691 which is threadedly engaged with the nut 690. The ball screw691 is fixed, at an upper end portion thereof, to the main member 614,and a lower portion of the screw 691 is covered by a cover member 692.The nut 690 is attached to a housing 693 via a bearing such that the nut690 is rotatable relative to the housing 693 and is not movable in anaxial direction thereof relative to the same 693. The housing 693 isfixed to the main member 610. When the nut 690 is rotated, the ballscrew 691 is moved upward and downward, while a sliding member 694provided at a lower end portion of the ball screw 691 slides on an innercircumferential surface of the cover member 692.

[0198] When the electric motor 684 is operated, the drive pulley 685 isrotated and accordingly the nut 690 of each feeding-screw device 686 isrotated. Thus, the four ball screws 691 are moved upward and downwardand accordingly the clamp-type holding portions 616, 618 are movedupward and downward. Since the four feeding-screw devices 686 aresimultaneously operated, the main CS-holding device 600 is elevated andlowered while keeping its horizontal attitude.

[0199] As shown in FIG. 33, the CS removing device 348 has substantiallythe same construction as that of the CS mounting device 342. The CSremoving device 348 includes the above-mentioned CS holding device 548,and a holding-device moving device 696 including an air-operatedcylinder device 546. However, the CS removing device 348 has fourair-operated cylinder devices 566 which are provided symmetrically withthose of the CS mounting device 342. In addition, as described above,the movable main member 364 of the CS removing device 348 has, at theopposite end portions thereof, the two projections 670 which areengageable with the two width-adjusting grooves 668 of the CS supportingdevice 330.

[0200] Like the CS mounting device 342, the CS removing device 348 isprovided with two CS-holding-device position sensors 697 (FIG. 36) whichdetect that the CS holding device 548 is currently positioned at a CSremoving position and a CS transferring position, respectively; and twoCS-holding-device state sensors 698 which detect that the CS holdingdevice 548 is currently taking a CS holding state and a CS releasingstate, respectively.

[0201] The CS HCO device 346 is similar to the CS HCI device 340. Asshown in FIGS. 34 and 35, the CS HCO device 346 includes ahorizontal-direction CS-moving device 700, a CS-support-member elevatingand lowering device 703, a CS-horizontal-movement stopping device 704,and a CS-carrying-width adjusting device 706. The horizontal-directionCS-moving device 700 includes two electric motors 701, 702 correspondingto the electric motors 428, 430 of the CS HCI device 340. TheCS-carrying-width adjusting device 706 includes the handle 396, asdescribed previously. When the handle 396 is rotated by the operator,the CS-carrying width of the CS carrying device 310 as a whole can beadjusted. The elevating and lowering device 703 includes an air-operatedcylinder device 708 which is provided in an upstream-side portion of theCS HCI device 346. The CS-horizontal-movement stopping device 704 isalso provided in the upstream-side portion of the CS HCI device 346, andincludes an intermediate stopper 712 and an air-operated cylinder device710 which moves the stopper 712 to its operative and inoperativepositions.

[0202] After two CSes are transferred from the CS removing device 342 tothe CS HCO device 346, the two CSes are supported on two carry-out belts714. The intermediate stopper 712 is moved to its operative position ata position between the two CSes. When the belts 714 are driven, thedownstream CS is carried out but the horizontal movement of the upstreamCS is stopped by the stopper 712. Subsequently, when the stopper 712 ismoved to its inoperative position, the upstream CS is carried out bybeing moved in the horizontal direction. Owing to the intermediatestopper 712, the two CSes can be carried out one by one.

[0203] Like the CS HCI device 340, the CS HCO device 346 is providedwith two plate sensors 720 corresponding to the plate sensors 492; twostopper sensors 722 corresponding to the stopper sensors 494; and aCS-carry-out sensor 723. The CS-carry-out sensor 723 corresponds to theCS-arrival sensors 496 of the CS HCI device 340, and detects that eachCS has passed a predetermined position and accordingly has been carriedout. In addition, the CS removing device 348 is provided with two CSrecognizing sensors 724 which correspond to the CS recognizing sensors584 of the CS mounting device 342 and which detect whether two CSes arepresent at a CS-removing height position at the CS removing position.The two sensors 724 are provided on the main member (not shown) of theCC mounting system 308, in the same manner as that in which the twosensors 584 of the CS mounting device 342 are provided. The two sensors724 can identify that the two CSes have been actually removed at the CSremoving position and are currently held by the CS holding device 548.

[0204] The present CC mounting system 308 employs an air supplyingdevice (not shown) which provides an air which is supplied to each ofthe air cylinders 442, 474, 530, 546, 566, 650, 676, 708, 710 after thepressure of the air has been regulated to a value falling in apredetermined range. In addition, each of the air cylinder 442 or 708and the air cylinder 474 or 710 of the CS HCI or HCO device 340 or 342,the air cylinders 530, 566 of the CS mounting device 342, and the aircylinders 546, 566 of the CS removing device 348 is supplied with theair whose flow rate has been regulated to control the rate of movementof the corresponding piston.

[0205] Regarding the air cylinder 442 of the CS HCI device 340, the flowrate of the air supplied thereto is regulated, when the CS supportplates 440 are elevated, so that the rate or speed of upward movement ofthe plates 440 is low. Since the plates 440 are holding the CS, thespeed is controlled to be low. Thus, when the CS is transferred to theCS mounting device 342, the CS contacts the CS pressing plates 556 atthe low speed.

[0206] Similarly, regarding the air cylinder 708 of the CS HCO device346, the flow rate of the air supplied thereto is regulated, when the CSsupport plates 440 are elevated, so that the speed of upward movement ofthe plates 440 is low. Thus, when the CS HCO device 346 receives the CSfrom the CS removing device 348, the CS support plates 440 contact thelower surface of the CS at the low speed. The speed of downward movementof the plates 440 may also be low, because the plates 449 are holdingthe CS when being moved downward.

[0207] Regarding the air cylinder 530 of the CS mounting device 342, thespeed of forward movement of the CS holding device 510 from the CSreceiving position to the CS mounting position is controlled to be low,because the holding device 510 is holding the CS. On the other hand,when the CS holding device 510 is moved backward from the CS mountingposition to the CS receiving position, the speed of backward movement ofthe holding device 510 may be controlled to be high, because the holdingdevice 510 is not holding a CS. Similarly, regarding the air cylinder546 of the CS removing device 348, the speed of forward movement of theCS holding device 548 from the CS removing position to the CStransferring position is controlled to be low, because the holdingdevice 548 is holding the CS.

[0208] Regarding the air cylinder 474 of the CS HCI device 340, thespeed of movement of the intermediate stopper 462 from its inoperativeposition to its operative position is controlled to be low. This is alsotrue with the air cylinder 710 of the CS HCO device 346. Regarding theair cylinder 566 of the CS mounting device 342, the speed of movement ofthe holding claws 554 from their CS releasing position to their CSholding position is controlled to be higher than that of movement of thesame 554 from their CS holding position to their CS releasing position;and regarding the air cylinder 566 of the CS removing device 348, thespeed of movement of the holding claws 554 from their CS holdingposition to their CS releasing position is controlled to be higher thanthat of movement of the same 554 from their CS releasing position totheir CS holding position. Thus, the CS can be transferred more quickly.

[0209] The present CC mounting system 308 includes a control device 730including an input port to which main-holding-device height-positionsensors 732 and CS-clamping sensors 734 are connected in addition to theabove-described various sensors 492, 494, 496, 498, 580, 582, 584, 697,698, 720, 722, 723, 724; and an output port to which the electric motors428, 430, 613, 684, 701, 702 and respective solenoid-operated flow-ratecontrol valves of the air cylinders 442, 474, 530, 546, 566, 650, 676,708, 710 are connected via respective drive circuits. Themain-holding-device height-position sensors 732 detect the currentheight position of the main CS-holding device 600 of the CS supportingdevice 330, and the CS-clamping sensors 734 detect or identify whetherthe CS is clamped by the main CS-holding device 600. The control device730 controls those motors and cylinders based on the output signalssupplied from those sensors. The sensors 732 are photoelectric positionsensors which are provided on the main member 610 of the CS supportingdevice 330 and each of which detects a detectable object which isprovided on the main member 614 of the main CS-holding device 600 andaccordingly is movable with the same 614. In the present embodiment,three position sensors 732 are employed which identify whether theobject is taking any one of three predetermined height positions, i.e.,CS-mounting height position (i.e., CS-removing height position),horizontal-movement height position, and CC-mounting height position.More specifically described, the three sensors 732 include aCS-mounting-height-position sensor which produces an OFF signal when themain CS-holding device 600 is taking a position not lower than theCS-mounting height position, and an ON signal when the device 600 istaking a position lower than the CS-mounting height position; ahorizontal-movement-height-position sensor which produces an ON signalwhen the device 600 is taking a position not lower than thehorizontal-movement height position, and an OFF signal when the device600 is taking a position lower than the horizontal-movement heightposition; and a lowermost-position sensor which produces an ON signalwhen the device 600 is taking a position not higher than the CC-mountingheight position, and an OFF signal when the device 600 is taking aposition higher than the CC-mounting height position.

[0210] Next, there will be described the operation of the CC mountingsystem 308 by reference to FIGS. 37 and 38.

[0211] In the first step, the CCs are mounted on the CSes. In the secondstep, the main CS-holding device 600 of the CS supporting device 330 ismoved, by the X-Y table 612, to the CS removing position where the CSholding device 548 of the CS removing device 348 is waiting in its CSreleasing state.

[0212] In the third step, the main CS-holding device 600 is moved upwardto the CS-removing (i.e., CS-mounting) height position, so that the CSescontact the CS pressing plates 556 of the CS holding device 548. In thefourth step, the air cylinders 650 of the main CS-holding device 600 areoperated to rotate the axis members 624 to their CS releasing position,and the air cylinders 566 of the CS holding device 548 are operated torotate the rotatable members 550 to their CS holding position. Since theclamp claws 644 and the holding claws 554 clamp the CSes such that theclamp claws 644 are alternate with the holding claws 554, the CSes canbe transferred from the main CS-holding device 600 to the CS holdingdevice 548. During the first to fourth steps, the CS holding device 510of the CS mounting device 342 waits, at the CS mounting position, in itsCS holding state in which the holding device 510 actually holds anotherpair of CSes. The fourth step is a CS removing step in which the CSesare removed in the direction of thickness of the CSes from the CSsupporting device 330.

[0213] That the main CS-holding device 600 has been moved up to the CSremoving height position is detected or identified by themain-holding-device height-position sensors 732. That the mainCS-holding device 600 has been switched from its CS clamping state toits CS releasing state is identified by the CS-clamping sensors 734.That the CS holding device 548 of the CS removing device 348 has beenswitched from its CS releasing state to its CS holding state isidentified by the CS-holding-state sensors 698. That the CS holdingdevice 548 has removed the CSes at the CS removing position and isholding the CSes is identified by the CS-removing-related CS-recognizingsensors 724. That the CS holding device 510 of the CS mounting device342 is holding the CSes at the CS mounting position is identified by theCS-mounting-related CS-recognizing sensors 584.

[0214] In the fifth step after the CSes are thus removed, the mainCS-holding device 600 is moved down to the horizontal-movement heightposition and then is moved backward to the CS mounting position in ahorizontal direction. At the CS removing position, the main CS-holdingdevice 600 and the CS holding device 548 of the CS removing deviceinterfere with each other. Therefore, the main device 600 is moveddownward to the height position where those two devices 600, 548 cannotinterfere with each other. Since the main device 600 is not holding anyCSes, the device 600 can be moved at a high speed to the CS mountingposition where the CS holding device 510 of the CS mounting device 342waits holding another pair of CSes as described above.

[0215] In the sixth step, the main CS-holding device 600 is moved up tothe CS mounting height position where the axis members 624 are rotatedto switch the main device 600 to its CS clamping state and the rotatablemembers 550 are rotated to switch the CS holding device 510 of the CSmounting device 342 to its CS releasing state. Thus, the CSes aretransferred in the direction of thickness thereof from the CS mountingdevice 342 to the CS supporting device 330. That the CS holding device510 has been switched from its CS holding state to its CS releasingstate is identified by the CS-holding-state sensors 582.

[0216] In the seventh step, the main CS-holding device 600 is moved downto the CC-mounting height position. At this time, that the CS holdingdevice 510 is not holding any CSes at the CS mounting position isidentified by the CS-mounting-related CS-recognizing sensors 584. Thisidentification means that the CSes have not fallen from the CS mountingdevice 342 but have been mounted on the CS supporting device 330.

[0217] In the eighth step, the main CS-holding device 600 is moved tothe CC mounting position where the CC mounting device 310 mounts the CCson the CSes supported by the main CS-holding device 600.

[0218] During the eighth step, the CS holding device 548 of the CSremoving device 348 is moved from the CS removing position to the CStransferring position at a low speed. That the CS holding device 548 hasbeen moved to the CS transferring position is identified by theCS-holding-device position sensors 697. That no CS is present at the CSremoving position is identified by the CS-removing-relatedCS-recognizing sensors 724. On the other hand, the CS holding device 510of the CS mounting device 342 is moved to the CS receiving position at ahigh speed, and that the CS holding device 510 has been moved to the CSreceiving position is identified by the CS-holding-device positionsensors 580.

[0219] In addition, in the CS HCI device 340, the two electric motors428, 430 are synchronously operated to drive the two carry-in belts 420,422, so that two CSes are carried in one by one. After the first CS isstopped by the downstream-end stopper 482, the motors 428, 430 arestopped and the intermediate stopper 462 is switched to its operativeposition. Then, the motors 428, 430 are resumed to carry in the secondCS, so that the second CS is stopped by the intermediate stopper 462.While the second CS is moved in the horizontal direction, the first CSremains stopped in contact with the downstream-end stopper 482 and isnot moved in the horizontal direction. When the first or second CS ismoved to a predetermined position in the horizontal direction, therotation speed of the electric motors 428, 430 is lowered to decreasethe speed of movement of the CS at which the CS butts the downstream-endor intermediate stopper 482 or 462. That the speed of horizontalmovement of the first or second CS has been lowered is identified by theCS-low-speed sensors 498, and that the first or second CS has arrived atthe position where the CS butts the stopper 482 or 486 is identified bythe CS-arrival sensors 496. That the intermediate stopper 462 has beenswitched to its operative position is identified by thestopper-operation-state sensors 494.

[0220] In the ninth and tenth steps, in the CS HCI device 340, the CSsupport plates 440 which are supporting the two CSes are moved upward atthe CS receiving position. At this time, the CS holding device 510 ofthe CS mounting device 342 waits in its CS releasing state. The upwardmovement of the CS support plates 440 causes the CSes to press the CSpressing plates 556, so that the pressing plates 556 are moved upwardagainst the biasing force of the springs 560. When the rotatable members550 are rotated, the holding device 510 is switched to its CS holdingstate. When the CS support plates 440 are moved downward, the CSpressing plates 556 press the CSes against the CS support surfaces 552of the holding claws 554, so that the CSes are held by the holding claws554. Thus, the two CSes carried in by the CS HCI device 340 aresimultaneously transferred in the direction of thickness thereof to theCS mounting device 342. When the CSes are handed from the CS HCI device340 to the CS mounting device 342, the intermediate stopper 462 may betaking its operative position. In the present embodiment, after thishanding, the stopper 462 is returned to its inoperative position.However, it is possible to return the intermediate stopper 462 to itsinoperative position after the two CSes have been carried in, i.e.,before the CSes are handed to the CS mounting device 342. That the CSsupport plates 440 have been moved up is identified by theCS-support-plate sensors 492.

[0221] Meanwhile, at the CS transferring position, the CS holding device548 of the CS removing device 348 is holding two CSes. In the CS HCOdevice 346, the CS support plates 440 are moved upward to butt the lowersurfaces of the CSes held by the CS holding device 548, so that theupper surfaces of the CSes push the CS pressing plates 556 upward. Then,the CS holding device 548 is switched to its CS releasing state, and thepressing plates 556 press the CSes on the support plates 440. Thus, theCSes are handed in the direction of thickness thereof to the CS HCOdevice 346. After the support plates 440 are lowered to the positionwhere the upper surfaces of the plates 440 are lower than those of thecarry-out belts 714, the CSes are carried out by the belts 714.

[0222] It can be said that the transferring of the CSes in the directionof thickness thereof from the CS removing device to the CS HCO device346 ends with either the handing of the CSes to the CS support plates440, or the placing of the CSes on the carry-out belts 714. In eithercase, the transferring of the CSes is done by using the lower surfacesof the CSes as reference surfaces.

[0223] Subsequently, the intermediate stopper 712 is switched to itsoperative position at an intermediate position between the two CSesplaced on the carry-out belts 714. The electric motors 701, 702 areoperated, and the downstream CS is carried out. Then, the motors 701,702 are stopped, and the stopper 712 is switched to its inoperativeposition. When the motors 701, 702 are resumed, the upstream CS iscarried out. Thus, the two CSes placed on the carry-out belts 714 arecarried out one by one by being moved in the horizontal direction. Thatthe CSes have been carried out is identified by the CS-carry-out sensor723. The ninth step is a CS transferring step, and the tenth step is aCC carrying-out step. The eighth to tenth steps are also CC mountingsteps.

[0224] The present CC mounting system 308 can simultaneously carry threeor more CSes on which CCs are to be mounted. In this case, the CS HCI orHCO device 340 or 346 needs two or more CS-horizontal-movement stoppingdevices 462 or 712. In addition, the present system 308 can carry, atone time, one CS on which CCs are to be mounted. In the last case, theintermediate stoppers 462, 712 are kept at their inoperative position,and is not switched to their operative position.

[0225] As is apparent from the foregoing description about the firstembodiment of the present invention, the transferring of one or moreCSes from the CS HCI device 340 to the CS mounting device 342 and fromthe CS removing device 348 to the CS HCO device 346 are done in theopposite directions, respectively, both of which are perpendicular tothe plane of the CS or CSes, that is, in the direction of thickness ofthe CS or CSes. Accordingly, the CS holding device 510 or 548 of the CSmounting or removing device 342 or 348 does not have to be able totransfer one or more CSes in a parallel direction parallel to the planeof the CS or CSes. Therefore, the construction of the CS holding device510 or 548 can be simplified as such and the production cost of the same510, 548 can be reduced. In addition, since the CS mounting or removingdevice 342 or 348 does not employ a device for elevating and loweringthe CS holding device 510 or 548, the production cost of the same 342,348 can be reduced as such. Moreover, CSes can be carried in one by oneowing to one or more intermediate stoppers 462, and can be carried outone by one owing to one or more intermediate stoppers 712.

[0226] In addition, since the present CC mounting system 308 employs thenumber of air cylinders 442, 474, 530, 546, 566, 650, 676, 708, 710, thesystem 308 can be produced at a cost lower than that at which the same308 would be produced by employing a number of electric motors.

[0227] In the illustrated embodiment, the control device 730 can changethe speed of rotation of the rotatable members 550, the speed of upwardand downward movement of the CS support plates 440, and the speed ofhorizontal movement of each of the CS holding devices 510, 548. However,this is not essentially required. The control device 730 may be adaptedto control each of those speeds at a corresponding constant value.

[0228] Each of the CS mounting and removing devices 342, 348 may beprovided with a device for elevating and lowering a corresponding one ofthe CS holding devices 510, 548. In this case, both the main CS-holdingdevice 600 and the CS holding device 510, or both the main CS-holdingdevice 600 and the CS holding device 548 can be moved toward each otherfor transferring one or more CSes. Thus, the time needed fortransferring the CSes can be reduced.

[0229] The CS holding devices 510, 548 of the CS mounting and removingdevices 342, 348 and the main CS-holding device 600 of the CS supportingdevice 330 may be adapted to hold one or more CSes by applying suctionthereto. In this case, too, the CSes can be transferred in the directionof thickness thereof. Each of the pivot-type CS holding devices 510, 548may be replaced by a horizontal-movement-type CS holding device whereinone or more CS holding member or members is or are moved in a horizontaldirection to hold one or more CSes. Each of the rotatable members 550and the corresponding holding claws 554 may be formed integrally witheach other. Each group of holding claws 554 may be to replaced by asingle holding projection which has a single CS-supporting surface 632and a single CS-positioning surface 633 which extend over substantiallythe entire length of the corresponding rotatable member 550. In thiscase, when the CSes are handed to or from the CS supporting devices 330,the main CS-holding device 600 must clamp respective portions of theCSes which are different from the portions thereof held by the twoholding projections. Moreover, it is not essentially required that theCS holding devices 510, 548, 600 hold or clamp the respective portionsof the CSes which extend in the CS carrying direction and it is possiblethat the devices 510, 548, 600 hold or clamp respective portions of theCSes which extend in a direction perpendicular to the CS carryingdirection.

[0230] The CS-holding air cylinders 566 of the CS mounting or removingdevice 342, 348 may be provided on the main members 520, 522 of the CSholding device 510 or 548. In this case, two air cylinders 566 sufficefor each of the CS mounting and removing devices 342, 348, which leadsto reducing the production cost of the present CC mounting system 308.In the case where the two air cylinders 566 are provided on the mainmembers 520, 522, respectively, it can be said that the air cylinders566 belong to the CS holding device 510 or 548.

[0231] Similarly, it is possible that the CS-clamping air cylinders 650of the CS supporting device 330 be fixed to the main member 610 thereof,or that the drive levers 652 be fixed to the rotatable axis members 624with the help of pins.

[0232] The CS support plates 440 of the CS HCI or HCO device 340 or 346may be provided by three or more plate-like members which may beseparate from one another in the CS carrying direction.

[0233] Referring next to FIGS. 39 to 44, there will be described afourth embodiment of the present invention, which also relates to a CCmounting system and a CC mounting method. In the present CC mountingsystem 798, a CC-holding-device moving device of a CS mounting device800 and a CC-holding-device moving device of a CS removing device 802have a common drive source.

[0234] The present CC mounting system 798 is similar to the third CCmounting system 308, except that the CS mounting and removing devices800, 802 of the fourth system 798 are different from those 342, 348 ofthe third system 308. The following description relates to only thedifferences between the third and fourth systems 308, 798.

[0235] As shown in FIG. 39, in the present CC mounting system 798, theCS mounting device 800 and the CS removing device 802 are provided as aunit such that a CS holding device 804 of the CS mounting device 800 anda CS holding device 806 of the CS removing device 802 are moved as aunit in a horizontal direction when a single electric motor 808 isoperated. Since the two CS holding devices 804, 806 have two common mainmembers 810, 812, those devices 804, 806 can be moved as a unit by theoperation of the single motor 808. Hereinafter, the two CS holdingdevices 804, 806 will be referred to as a “united CS-holding device814”, and the CS mounting and removing devices 800, 802 will be referredto as a “CS mounting/removing device 815”.

[0236] In the present embodiment, not only the two CS holding devices804, 806 have the common main members 810, 812, but also the CS mountingand removing devices 800, 802 have two common main members 816, 818 onwhich two guide rails 820, 821 are provided, respectively. The unitedCS-holding device 814 is moved in the horizontal direction on the guiderails 820, 821.

[0237] The united CS-holding device 814 includes two pairs of pivot-typeCS-holding portions 822, 823 one of which corresponds to the CS mountingdevice 800 and the other of which corresponds to the CS removing device802. Each pair of CS-holding portions 822, 823 are provided on the twomain members 810, 812, respectively.

[0238] In the present embodiment, the CS holding device 804 of the CSmounting device 800 does not remove any CSes, and the CS holding device806 of the CS removing device 802 does not mount any CSes. In addition,when one of the two CS holding devices 804, 806 takes its CS holdingposition, the other doe not simultaneously take its CS releasingposition, and vice versa.

[0239] The two main members 810, 812 of the united CS-holding device 814are connected to each other by a connecting device 824 such that one 812of the main members 810, 812 is movable toward, and away from, the othermain member 810 in a width-wise direction of CSes and such that the twomain members 810, 812 are not movable relative to each other in a CScarrying direction. The connecting device 824 includes two connectingmembers 825 and two sliders 826. The reason why the two connectingmembers 825 are employed is that the united CS-holding device 814 has agreat dimension in the CS carrying direction.

[0240] A CS-holding-device moving device 827 which moves the unitedCS-holding device 814 in opposite directions parallel to the plane ofthe CSes includes, in addition to the electric motor 808 and the guiderails 820, 821, a plurality of sliders 828 which are engaged with theguide rails 820, 821, a driver-side rail 830, and a driver-side slider832 which is connected to the main member 810 by a driver-sideconnecting member 834. When the electric motor 808 is operated, thedriver-side slider 832 is moved along the driver-side rail 830, so thatthe united CS-holding device 814 is moved. Thus, in the presentembodiment, the two CS holding devices 804, 806 are driven by the commonCS-holding-device moving device 827 including the common drive source808.

[0241] The united CS-holding device 814 is movable to a CS receivingposition where the CS holding device 804 of the CS mounting device 800receives CSes from a CS HCI device 340; a CS mounting position where theholding device 804 mounts the CSes on a CS supporting device 330; a CSremoving position where the CS holding device 806 of the CS removingdevice 802 removes the CSes from the CS supporting device 330; and a CStransferring position where the CS holding device 806 transfers the CSesto a CS HCO device 346. In the present CC mounting system 798, the CSmounting and removing positions are the same position. However, theunited CS-holding device 814 must be moved between the two positions.

[0242] In a state shown in FIG. 39, the CS holding device 806 of the CSremoving device 802 is switchable between its CS holding state and itsCS releasing state, for removing the CSes from the CS supporting device330. This switching is done by an intermediate pair of air-operatedcylinder devices 836 via a pair of motion converting devices 568 which,however, are not shown in FIG. 39. Each motion converting device 568converts the axial movement of the piston of the corresponding aircylinder 836 into the pivotal movement of a pivotable member of thecorresponding pivot-type CS-holding portion 822, 823. In a state inwhich another pair of motion converting devices 568 which are providedon a carry-out-side end of the CS holding device 804 of the CS mountingdevice 800 are aligned with the intermediate pair of air cylinders 836,respectively, the CS holding device 804 is switchable between its CSholding and releasing states, for mounting the CSes on the CS supportingdevice 330, by the pair of air cylinders 836 via the second pair ofmotion converting devices 568. Thus, the intermediate air cylinders 836are utilized by both the two CS holding devices 804, 806.

[0243] A carry-out-side pair of air-operated cylinder devices 838 areoperated when the CS holding device 806 of the CS removing device 802transfers the CSes to the CS HCO device 346; and a carry-in-side pair ofair-operated cylinder devices 840 are operated when the CS holdingdevice 804 of the CS mounting device 800 receives the CSes from the CSHCI device 340. In the last case, a carry-in-side or third pair ofmotion converting devices 568 are utilized for switching the CS holdingdevice 804 between its CS holding and releasing states.

[0244] In FIG. 40, a single air-operated cylinder device is connected toeach of the two CS holding devices 804, 806. However, in fact, the twopairs of air cylinders 836, 838 are used for the CS holding device 804,and the two pairs of air cylinders 836, 840 are used for the CS holdingdevice 806.

[0245] Since in the present embodiment the intermediate pair of aircylinders 836 are utilized by the CS holding device 804 of the CSmounting device 800 via the second pair of motion converting devices 568provided at the carry-out-side end of the CS holding device 804, it isnot needed to provide an additional pair of air cylinders at respectivepositions where the third pair of motion converting devices 568 providedat the carry-in-side end of the CS holding device 804 are positionedwhen the CS holding device 804 is positioned at the CS mountingposition.

[0246] Although in the present embodiment the two pairs of motionconverting devices 568 are provided on the CS holding device 804 of theCS mounting device 800, it is possible to provide two pairs of motionconverting devices 568 on the CS holding device 806 of the CS removingdevice 802.

[0247] The present CC mounting system 798 includes a control device 860,shown in FIG. 40, which controls the CS transferring operation of thesystem 798.

[0248] When the united CS-holding device 814 is moved by the electricmotor 808, a CS-holding-device position sensor 862 detects that theunited CS-holding device 814 is moved to each of the CS receiving,mounting, removing, and transferring positions in the CS carryingdirection. The description of the manner of operation of the sensor 862is omitted.

[0249] Hereinafter, there will be described the operation of the CCmounting system 798 by reference to FIGS. 41 and 42.

[0250] In the present embodiment, the respective CS holding devices 804,806 of the CS mounting and removing devices 800, 802 are moved as a unitby being driven by the electric motor 808. The control device 860controls this operation of the motor 808, which is not performed in thethird CC mounting system 308. On the other hand, the control device 860controls the respective flow rates of the air cylinders 836, 838, 840 inthe same manner as described above for the air cylinders 442, 474, 530,546, 566, 650, 676, 708, 710 of the third system 308.

[0251] In the first to fourth steps, the united CS-holding device 814 ismoved such that the CS holding device 806 is moved to the CS removingposition where the CS holding device 806 removes two CSes from the CSsupporting device 330. In the fifth step, the united CS-holding device814 is moved such that the CS holding device 804 is moved to the CSmounting position where, like in the third system 308, a main CS-holdingdevice 600 is held at its horizontal-movement height position lower thanits CS-mounting height position, so as not to interfere with themovement of the CS-holding device 804. In the sixth and seventh steps,the CSes held by the CS holding device 804 are mounted on the CSsupporting device 330, and the main CS-holding device 600 is moved downto its CC-mounting height position and is further moved to a CC mountingposition.

[0252] In the present CC mounting system 798, the CS mounting positionand the CS removing position are the same position. However, theposition of the united CS-holding device 814 relative to the stationarymembers of the system 798 when the CS holding device 804 is positionedat the CS mounting position is different from that when the holdingdevice 806 is positioned at the CS removing position. Therefore, theunited CS-holding device 814 must be moved between the CS mounting andremoving positions.

[0253] In the present embodiment, the main CS-holding device 600 of theCS supporting device 330 may be immovable in the CS carrying direction,and is movable in only opposite directions perpendicular to the CScarrying direction.

[0254] Subsequently, in the eighth and ninth steps, the CS holdingdevice 806 is moved to the CS transferring position where the CS holdingdevice 806 transfers the CSes to the CS HCO device 346. In the tenthstep, the CS holding device 804 is moved to the CS receiving position.The tenth step is the step which is not performed in the third system308 and results from the feature that the two CS holding devices 804,806 are provided as the united CS-holding device 814. The movement fromthe CS transferring position at the ninth step to the CS receivingposition at the tenth step is the longest stroke of the unitedCS-holding device 814. However, since neither of the two CS holdingdevices 804, 806 holds any CSes, the united CS-holding device 814 can bemoved at a high speed, that is, in a short time. In addition, since thelongest-stroke movement is done while CCs are mounted on the CSessupported on the CS supporting device 330, it does not adverselyinfluence the CC-mounting efficiency of the present system 798. In theeleventh step, the CS mounting device 800 receives another pair of CSesfrom the CS HCI device 340.

[0255] Since in the present embodiment the two CS holding devices 804,806 are driven by the common electric motor 808, the present system 798can be produced at lower cost than in the case where the two devices804, 806 would be driven by respective exclusive electric motors. Inaddition, the present system 798 can reduce the total number of aircylinders 836, 838, 840 employed, as described above. Moreover, in thecase where the main CS-holding device 600 of the CS supporting device330 is immovable in the CS carrying direction, the production cost ofthe present system 798 can be reduced as such.

[0256]FIGS. 43 and 44 illustrates another manner of operation of thepresent CC mounting system 798 in which the main CS-holding device 600of the CS supporting device 330 is movable in the CS carrying direction.In the fifth step, the main CS-holding device 600 is moved toward the CSholding device 804 while the united CS-holding device 814 is moved. Thismanner leads to reducing the time needed for moving the unitedCS-holding device 814 from the CS removing position to the CS mounting,and accordingly reducing the time needed for transferring CSes.

[0257] This manner of operation requires the CC mounting system 798 toemploy, in place of the intermediate pair of air-operated cylinderdevices 836, two pairs of air-operated cylinder devices at respectivepositions which correspond to the CS mounting and removing positions,respectively. However, the present system 798 need not employ the twopairs of motion converting devices 568 for one of the two CS holdingdevices 804, 806, but needs to employ just one pair of motion convertingdevices 568 for each of the two CS holding devices 804, 806.

[0258] In the CC mounting system 798, the two CS holding devices 804,806 have the common pair of main members 810, 812. However, the twodevices 804, 804 may have respective exclusive pairs of main members. Inthis case, the system 798 may employ a drive-force transmitting andswitching device which includes two driver-side sliders one of which isconnected to the exclusive pair of main members of the CS holding device804 and the other of which is connected to the exclusive pair of mainmembers of the CS holding device 806; and a clutch which is switchableto a first state in which the clutch transmits the drive force of thecommon electric motor 808 to both of the two driver-side sliders, to asecond state in which the clutch transmits the drive force to one of thetwo driver-side sliders, a third state in which the clutch transmits thedrive force to the other driver-side slider, and a fourth state in whichthe clutch does not transmit the drive force to either of the twodriver-side sliders. In this case, it is impossible to simultaneouslymove the two CS holding devices 804, 806 in the opposite directions,respectively, but it is possible to simultaneously move the two devices804, 806 in the same direction, or to move one of the two devices 804,806 while stopping the other device 804, 806. Thus, the tenth step ofeach of FIGS. 41 and 43 can be omitted.

[0259] It is to be understood that the present invention may be embodiedwith other changes, improvements, and modifications that may occur tothe person skilled in the art without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of mounting circuit components on acircuit substrate, comprising the steps of: mounting the circuitcomponents on an upper surface of the circuit substrate supported by acircuit-substrate supporting device, removing the circuit substrate onwhich the circuit components have been mounted, from thecircuit-substrate supporting device, in an upward directionsubstantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the circuitsubstrate, transferring the removed circuit substrate to aparallel-direction carry-out device in a downward direction opposite tosaid upward direction, and carrying out the transferred circuitsubstrate by moving the circuit substrate extending substantiallyhorizontally, in a parallel direction substantially parallel to theupper surface of the circuit substrate.
 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the removing step and before thedownward-direction transferring step, a step of moving the removedcircuit substrate in said parallel direction.
 3. A method according toclaim 1 , further comprising steps of: carrying in the circuit substratein said parallel direction, transferring the carried-in circuitsubstrate in said upward direction, and mounting the transferred circuitsubstrate onto the circuit-substrate support device, in said downwarddirection.
 4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising, afterthe upward-direction transferring step and before the mounting step, astep of moving the transferred circuit substrate in said paralleldirection.
 5. A method according to claim 3 , wherein at least one ofthe removing step and the upward-direction transferring step comprisessteps of: holding, with a holding device, the circuit substrate, movingthe holding device in said upward direction, to move the circuitsubstrate in the upward direction, and moving the holding device in saidparallel direction to move the circuit substrate in the paralleldirection.
 6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein theparallel-direction moving step comprises controlling a speed at whichthe holding device is moved in said parallel direction, such that aspeed of a movement of the holding device holding the circuit substrateis lower than a speed of a movement of the holding device not holdingthe circuit substrate.